Jakarta – Several families of detainees involved in the August 2025 protests from North Jakarta filed a complaint over alleged criminalisation by the authorities with the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM).
They arrived together with the Youth Movement Against Criminalisation (Gerakan Muda Lawan Kriminalisasi, GMLK) at the Komnas HAM offices in Central Jakarta on Monday December 22 carrying a single red rose.
The symbolic action accompanied their complaint with Komnas HAM regarding the alleged criminalisation and arbitrary arrest of 60 people detained and charged with alleged violations of the law by authorities following the demonstrations last August.
"Today is Mother's Day, the women's movement day, so indeed the mothers today who brought the rose did so as symbol of resistance by mothers whose children, husbands and families have been detained since August 30 and early September", said GMLK representative Sarah at the Komnas HAM office.
Although they were received by Komnas HAM Chairperson Anis Hidayah, the hearing was closed to the media.
Families in tears
Meanwhile, during the symbolic action and behind the symbol of the red rose, tears could be seen flowing down the faces of the victims' families as they expressed their despair over the economic and psychological impact of the detentions that has now gone on for four months.
One of the parents of a detainee, Nurianti, admitted to being exhausted by the protracted legal process without any certainty. She pleaded for her child's release.
"What should we do as parents? We're stressed, exhausted, but there's no end in sight. Please release our child. Our child wants to work, they have a bright future. Please help us, release our child", said Nurianti.
And it was not just parents. Sri Utami whose husband is being detained on charges of rioting during the August demonstrations, also spoke about the impact on their family. Utami said her husband is the breadwinner of the family, while she has to care for the young children without any financial security.
"It's really impacted on the economy and my children who are still little, because my husband is the breadwinner of the family. I'm at a loss every day. I need justice for my husband. Please release my husband because I feel sorry for my children, who need a father figure", said Utami.
In a press release, the GMLK urged the Komnas HAM to immediately conduct an independent investigation.
They accused officials of charging the detainees with Article 170 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) on assault and Article 212 in conjunction with Article 214 of the KUHP on resisting officials on duty. They alleged however that these charges are trumped up.
The arrests carried out by the authorities were also seen highly unprofessional. One example was the criminalisation of a person simply for using toothpaste on their faces to protect themselves from tear gas fired by police.
Arrests were also made between 2.30 and 6 am when the situation had already calmed down and people were carrying out normal activities, such as trading or returning home from work.
"Because indeed for the cases in North Jakarta, dozens of people perhaps 90 percent were victims of mistaken arrest. Some were arrested about 800 meters from the TKP [crime scene], while others were arrested almost two kilometres from the scene. In my opinion, these arrests were truly arbitrary", said a member of one of the victims' families.
In addition to economic and psychological pressures, the victims' families also highlighted the alleged physical violence experienced by the detainees. They said the violence not only left trauma but also caused permanent injuries that they are still suffering to this day.
"Some have permanently disabled legs, some have [had to] use canes to appear in court. They even have permanent facial injuries as seen in the photos. Others were also trampled on and beaten, including myself, who was beaten when I tried to find my family", said one of the victims' relatives.
Komnas HAM statement
Speaking separately, Anis Hidayah said that they are still receiving public complaints about alleged cases of torture during the series of riots in August and September. One of them, said Hidayah, was from the 60 representatives of the victims' families from North Jakarta this morning.
"There are still people reporting complaints, primarily from the aspect of those who feel that there were indications that the legal process was unfair, so they're asking Komnas HAM to intervene and provide attention", Hidayah said at the Komnas HAM office on Monday as quoted by the state news agency Antara.
He explained that they claim that their younger siblings were victims of alleged torture during the arrest, questioning and subsequent legal proceedings. Currently, he said, the victims are being tried in court.
He stated that Komnas HAM is still processing a report related to the Joint Fact-Finding Team (TGPF) on the August riots. According to Hidayah, Komnas HAM will also coordinate with other institutions within the TGPF.
"We have to wait and see what position each institution has on the report currently being formulated at their respective institutional levels, it's like that", he said. (kna/antara/kid)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Keluarga Tahanan Demo Agustus Lapor Dugaan Kriminalisasi ke Komnas HAM".]
