33 students from several universities are still being held at police headquarters in Jakarta after taking part in a demonstration outside the ABA-ABI (Indonesian and foreign languages colleges) campus in East Jakarta.

A journalist from Pos Kota, Totok Irianto, 36, was injured when he was struck by a hard object. He is still under treatment in hospital.

Much damage was inflicted on the campus building and in the surrounding area. Students panicked when members of the security forces entered the campus and started arresting students inside.

The detainees are accused of violating several articles of the Criminal Code and Law No 9/1998 (on Freedom of Expression).

In addition to the students at police HQ, three are in hospital and have not yet been interrogated. The students charged under the Criminal Code will undergo further questioning. Altogether 18 students are being charged for petty offences under Law No 9 and will appear in court Friday.

A police officer said that several policemen had also been injured. A joint force including police and army troops were involved in the action.

The security forces used improper procedures to curtail the students protest, as a result of which a number of people were wounded. They say they did so in order to prevent the action from spreading to other parts [of the city].