Jakarta – A number of activists united in the Civil Society Coalition said on Thursday that the National Police had arbitrarily made use of laws to take revenge for the naming of a senior officer, Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan, a suspect in a graft case.
The coalition said that criminalization efforts conducted by the police's criminal investigation division (Bareskrim) led by Comr. Gen. Budi Waseso against Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and Judicial Commission (KY) leaders were motivated by resentment of the legal move against Budi Gunawan.
"The National Police have acted as if they have sole authority to enforce the law. In fact, the police are not allowed to be arbitrary in carrying out their duties and authority," said Haris Azhar, the coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), a member of the coalition, as quoted by kompas.com in a statement in Jakarta on Thursday.
The coalition has recorded that since the KPK named Budi Gunawan as a suspect, at least 49 people have been criminalized, including people who have defended the KPK, promoted corruption eradication and criticized the police. Accusations range from libel to ownership of illegal weapons and document forgery. Activists, academics and state officials, including KY commissioners, have been named suspects.
The coalition is calling on the National Police to cease their intimidation of their perceived enemies, and on President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to intervene.
"The situation has emerged because of [Jokowi's] irresolution. As such, we are calling on National Police chief Badrodin Haiti to evaluate the performance of Bareskrim chief Budi Waseso, who appears to embody the police's spirit of vengeance," said Haris.
Bareskrim has taken legal measures against two KY judges, namely Suparman Marzuki and Taufiqurrohman, after the commission decided to impose a six-month suspension on judge Sarpin, who ruled in favor of Budi Gunawan's plea to have his suspect status overturned. (ebf)