Farouk Arnaz – Feeling the heat following a public campaign to collect 1,000 pairs of sandals to mock a policeman who took a juvenile to court for petty theft, the National Police is now insisting it was the parents of the youth who insisted that he be taken to court.

"We have reminded the parents of A.A.L. that he was still a minor, but the parents and their lawyers were the one demanding the legal process," National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Saud Usman Nasution said.

First Brig. Ahmad Rusdi's decision to bring 15-year-old A.A.L. to court in Central Sulawesi's Palu for allegedly stealing his Rp 30,000 ($3.30) pair of sandals has prompted a wave of public indignation and protest.

The National Commission for Child Protection (KPAI), in a high-profile protest against a trial it has described as ludicrous, has kicked off a campaign to collect 1,000 pairs of sandals to hand over to the police.

The drive, involving collection points in several cities, has almost reached its goal. KPAI chairwoman Maria Ulfa Anshor, speaking on Tuesday as the sandals were being counted, said the goal of the campaign was the release of A.A.L. "from the entrapment of unfair justice, one that has no conscience."

Saud said that on May 27, Amad and his colleague Jhon Simson had questioned three youths over the missing pair of sandals and "the three then admitted it."

The following day, A.A.L.'s parents reported the officers to the provincial police, accusing them of forcing a confession by beating the teen. Saud maintained that the policemen had not beaten anyone, claiming that "there was an emotional action of pushing the boy until he fell."

The parents of the three youths were summoned to retrieve their children, but A.A.L.'s parents and lawyer returned the next day to say that they had reported the two policemen for mistreating their child.

"The parents also demanded that their offspring also be reported legally," Saud said. "Once again, it was at the behest of the parents that their child be reported for legal action."

He said police had reminded the parents that their child was still a minor and should not be taken to court. He added that the boy had never been detained.

Both officers, he continued, had been punished with days of detention. Ahmad is still facing a police tribunal for discipline, while the other officer has been censured with a one-year stay of promotion.

Commenting on the sandal collection campaign, Saud said that "if the public wants to hand over sandals, please do. We will accept them and give them to those who need them." According to Maria, a National Police circular had instructed officers to prioritize the needs of child development.

Despite the circular, the chairwoman added, the commission had found that 6,273 minors were being held in jail on criminal charges last year.

[Additional reporting byRonna Nirmala.]