Jakarta Police Name 13 Labor Day Protesters as Suspects
Reporter
May 9, 2025 | 09:38 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Metro Jaya Regional Police have declared 13 participants of the International Labor Day demonstration in front of the House of Representatives building on May 1, 2025, as suspects.
The suspect status was officially assigned on Thursday, May 8, 2025.
"On Thursday at around 04:00 PM, we received a letter declaring 13 demonstrators as suspects," said Muhammad Yahya, a representative of the Advocacy Team for Democracy (TAUD), during a press conference at the YLBHI Building on Friday, May 9, 2025.
Prior to this, the police had arrested 14 demonstrators and brought them to the Jakarta Metro Jaya Regional Police Headquarters.
They were interrogated from the night of the demonstration until the following morning, after which police initially released them.
However, the investigation did not end there, as Jakarta Metro Jaya Regional Police later advanced the case to the investigative stage and ultimately named them as suspects.
"Two or three days ago, we received a notice that the investigation by Jakarta Metro Jaya Regional Police had begun," Yahya said.
According to Alif Nurwidiastomo, a public attorney from the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, the suspect status was given because the police accused the demonstrators of resisting officers and not obeying their orders.
The police also deemed that the suspects did not immediately leave the demonstration site despite being warned by the officers.
"Three individuals are charged with Articles 216 and/or 218 of the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP). While the other 10 individuals are charged with Articles 212 and/or 216 and/or 218 of the KUHP," Alif said.
The thirteen individuals must prepare to undergo further questioning next week in their capacity as suspects.
"Seven suspects will be questioned on May 14, and the remaining six on May 15," said Alif.
Tempo attempted to verify the suspect status with Jakarta Metro Jaya Police's Head of Public Information Subdivision, Grand Commissioner Reonald Simanjuntak, but the WhatsApp message sent was read without a response.
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