Padang – Dozens of journalists affiliated with the West Sumatra Anti-violence Journalists Coalition (KWAK) staged a rally on Monday at the temporary Padang headquarters of the West Sumatra Police.
The protesters urged the police to immediately investigate a recent assault allegedly committed by a group of police personnel against a journalist from the neighboring Riau province.
"We condemn the violence committed by police personnel against a journalist in Pekanbaru and demand that the police resolve the case thoroughly and prosecute and dismiss the perpetrators from the police force," KWAK coordinator Putra Tanhar said.
Earlier on Saturday, riauonline.co.id journalist Zuhri Febrianto was allegedly beaten by a number of personnel from the Pekanbaru Police with batons to the head and body while he was covering the Association of Islamic Students (HMI) congress in the provincial capital.
The police members were reportedly angry because Zuhri refused to hand over videotapes of police committing violent acts against a young man who tried to enter the tightly guarded congress venue.