The Jakarta Post, Surabaya, Thursday July 31 2014
Local residents supporting Surabaya’s Dolly area, which is deemed Southeast Asia's largest red-light district, have reported the local police to the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) over alleged repressive actions taken against residents during a clash after Dolly’s closure on July 27.
"There’s no justification for the repressive action the police took [during the clash]. We filed a report to Komnas HAM and we will file a lawsuit against the police's violent actions against the residents," said Anissa, the head of a local advocates group (FPL), on Thursday.
Anissa explained that the advocacy group had compiled evidence consisting of the damage done to local buildings, the medical examination results of the residents' injuries, photos and video recordings of the incident and also an audio recording containing the voice of a field commander who said he would clean up the former red-light district.
"Seven people had already filed the report. They experienced injuries to the head and bruises to the face and body due to being physically hit by hand or baton, kicked, stepped on and choked," she said.
On July 27, the Surabaya Police arrested 24 people after the clash between the residents who protested the shutdown of Dolly by the Surabaya administration on July 18.
Surabaya Police criminal investigations directorate chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Sumaryono said their investigations had led them to name six suspects for inciting a riot and causing damage under the Criminal Code. However, they had only arrested four because two of them were minors.
Surabaya Police chief Sr. Comr. Setija Junianta said the clash was incited by residents throwing molotov cocktails at police officers who were trying to help the local administration rid Dolly and Jarak of prostitution
(It looks as if "Dolly" is not going to take it "lying down" this time
siK)
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do 31 jul 2014 - 23:37