http://www.ucanews.com/news/indonesian-police-take-flak-over-treason-arrests/77818
Indonesian police take flak over treason arrests Authorities accuse 11 suspects of trying to use mass protest to overthrow the government Muslims attend a rally in Jakarta on Dec 2 to demand the arrest of Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahja Purnama. Several people were arrested by police ahead of the rally and charged with treason. (Photo by Ryan Dagur) Ryan Dagur, Jakarta Indonesia December 7, 2016 The arrest of 11 people on treason charges prior to a mass protest against Jakarta's Christian governor on Dec. 2 was a direct attack on freedom of expression, rights activists said. The 11 people were arrested on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government hours before hundreds of thousands of Muslims staged a mass rally in Jakarta demanding the jailing of city governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama. Among them was Rachmawati Soekarnoputri, daughter of Indonesia's first president Soekarno. "[They] wanted to the protesters to occupy the House of Representatives and force it to impeach the legitimate government," police chief Tito Karnavian told parliamentarians at a meeting on Dec 5. The suspects were charged with on treason and violating the electronic information and transactions law for making hate speeches prior to the protest, police said. Investigations to track down accomplices and possible funders are ongoing, a police spokesman said. Before the protest authorities had accused Muslim hardliners of using the blasphemy case as an excuse to try and destabilize the government. Alghiffari Aqsa, director of the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute said the government was taking a heavy-handed approach by pressing a treason charge which been often used since the Soeharto era to stifle freedom of expression. "People often express dissatisfaction with governments. This should not immediately lead to their arrest," said Aqsa. Treason should only be used if there is sufficient evidence such as an actual attempt at sabotage, he said. Asep Komarudin from Gema Demokrasi, a coalition of 75 civil society groups, said the arrests set a bad precedent for President Joko Widodo's administration. "Don't imitate what was practiced in the past to suppress those who criticize the government," he said. The governments, he said, often uses treason as a tool of suppression, including against Papuans seeking independence. Yusril Ihza Mahendra, a lawyer for one of the suspects, Ratna Sarumpaet said his client's activities would not be considered by many free societies as efforts to overthrow the government or subversion. "That they hold meetings and criticize the government is quite normal," Tribunnews.com quoted him as saying. However other activist groups backed the arrests, saying the mass demonstration had the potential to be a powder keg following a violent protest by hardliners in November. Petrus Selestinus, coordinator of the pro-democracy activist group Indonesian Democracy Defense Team said police did the right thing and accused the suspects of attempting to agitate the crowd. "They obviously had the potential to cause panic and threaten the country's security," he said. Arresting them, he said, was a preventive measure to stop an escalation of acts of treason. Related Reports a.. Jakarta governor to face yet another rally from Muslim hardliners b.. Thousands demand Jakarta’s Christian governor be arrested
