JAKARTA, RAKYAT NEWS – In light of recent incidents involving police violence, wrongful arrests, torture, sexual abuse, and extrajudicial killings across various cities in Indonesia, Amnesty International Indonesia has issued a strong call for comprehensive reform within the Indonesian National Police (Polri).

Usman Hamid, Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia said,
“What we have witnessed in recent days is a series of grave violations committed by state officials who are supposed to protect and serve the public. The police are trained, equipped, and funded by the state to safeguard citizens, not to engage in extrajudicial killings, as alleged in North Sulawesi, or wrongful arrests and abuse, as reported in the case of a snail collector in Central Java.

The root cause of these recurring incidents of police violence is the culture of impunity within the police force. This impunity has become systemic, as Polri appears to turn a blind eye to human rights violations committed by its officers. These cases must serve as a serious wake-up call for the police to initiate immediate and comprehensive reforms.

Each case must be thoroughly and transparently investigated, and the perpetrators must be held criminally accountable to deliver justice to the victims and their families. Furthermore, deeper institutional reforms within Polri are urgently needed to prevent the recurrence of such violence in the future.

Without serious evaluation from the President, the House of Representatives (DPR), the National Police Commission (Kompolnas), and judicial oversight, it is no surprise that similar cases continue to occur. Reform within the police force must involve systemic changes, not just revisions to regulations or superficial training. Without real accountability at the leadership level of Polri, any efforts to curb violence by law enforcement will be in vain.”

In recent days, several members of Polri have been implicated in a series of criminal acts. In Grobogan, Central Java, a snail collector was wrongfully arrested on March 2 after being accused of stealing a water pump in Suru Village, Geyer District. He was allegedly assaulted by a police officer during his arrest and taken to the police station for further questioning. However, an investigation by the Geyer Police confirmed his innocence, as the theft allegations could not be substantiated.

In Ngada, East Nusa Tenggara, a former local police chief, now inactive, is suspected of sexually abusing three minors. The suspect allegedly recorded the abuse and shared the videos on an Australian pornographic website. The officer, who holds the rank of AKBP, was previously arrested on February 20 for narcotics use.

Meanwhile, in Labuhanbatu, North Sumatra, a police officer was caught on camera kicking the head of a woman with mental health issues on March 6. The woman was accused of setting fire to the officer’s motorcycle.

Another case emerged in North Sulawesi, where a member of the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) allegedly shot and killed a local miner on March 10 during a disturbance at an illegal gold mining site in Ratatotok, Southeast Minahasa Regency.

Additionally, an officer from the Central Java Police is under investigation for alleged assault that resulted in the death of a two-month-old infant on March 2.

Amnesty International Indonesia emphasizes that these cases highlight the urgent need for systemic reform within Polri to address the pervasive culture of impunity and ensure accountability at all levels. The organization urges the Indonesian government to take immediate action to restore public trust in law enforcement and uphold human rights. (Uki Ruknuddin)

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