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74 participants of 'Bloody July 27' rally released

Info Pembebasan (Liberation) - July 28, 1997

[The following is a translation of a statement sent to ASIET by the underground Peoples Democratic Party (PRD)]

74 people of the 75 arrested by the military and being held at the Central Jakarta police headquarters, were released today (July 28) at 4pm. However the pro-Megawati Tangerang [industrial zone on the outskirts of Jakarta] Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) deputy chair, Dr Rifka Ciptaning (a woman) is still being held. The grounds for the detention are unclear and there is a possibility that the mother who is still suckling a one month old baby will be tried.

The 74 that were released do not included four PRD activists who were arrested at the Blok M bus terminal [South-West Jakarta] and two people, Be and Sy who were arrested in Tangerang for distributing Mega-Star-People Democratic Coalition (1) leaflets

This also included five student activist from the Cipayung Group (a grouping of a number of legal student mass organisation such as HMI, PMII, PMKRI, GMNI and PMKRI) who were arrested at the Indonesian Catholic Student Movement (Pergerakan Mahasiswa Katholik Republik Indonesia, PMKRI) in Menteng [Central Jakarta], Saturday night, July 26.

This also does not included Kelik, Cris and four others from Surabaya [East Java].

People arrested after the "Bloody July 27":

  • 5 people arrested at the PMKRI secretariat Menteng
  • 4 PRD members arrested at the Blok M bus terminal
  • 2 people arrested in Tangerang 75 people arrested at Cawang (Jl. Oto Iskandar Atnata)
  • 6 people arrested at Jalan Diponegoro.
  • 8 others (situation unclear)

92 people were arrested in total, 74 have been freed with 18 still being detained. This does not included an additional 8 who may have been arrested or escaped.

Solidarity from all those who have a commitment to the Indonesian pro-democracy movement is still urgently needed to ensure the safety of those under arrest from torture by the military. In particular solidarity is urgently needed for Dr Rifka Ciptaning along with Be and Sy, who are being interrogated (2) by Bakorstanasda (3).

b>Translators notes:

1. See previous notes. 2. See previous notes.
3. See previous notes.

[Translated by James Balowski]