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Indonesia: Police shot arrestee in the head while allegedly trying to escape
Asian Human Rights Commission Urgent Appeal - October 6, 2011 (see sample letter below)
Dear friends,
On 2 June 2011, members of the Persiapan Rantau Kopar Sub-district Police killed Mr Syafrudin, a resident of the Rokan Hilir area in Riau. Police alleged that the officers had arrested the victim for a drugs case and when he tried to escape the police opened fire hitting him in the head. The corpse was delivered to the hospital by an unidentified person the following morning, hospital staff reported. The family of the victim later discovered marks of violence on his body including two bullet wounds in the back of the head. The police did not respond to the demand by the victim's lawyer for a criminal investigation of the extrajudicial killing.
Case narrative:
On 2 June, 2011 at 9.30 pm, Syafrudin, a citizen from the Rokan Hilir district, Riau province was shot by members of the Persiapan Rantau Kopar Sub-district Police (POLSEC) in Riau. While, Syafrudin met with his friends Reski, Ade, and Doon at a food stall near his house, police officer Zulpadli, also known as Ocu, and another officer, Samsuar arrived by motorcycle at the stall.
Officer Zulpadli then asked Syafrudin to go with him to another food stall, called Uniang, near Syafrudin's house. When they arrived at the food stall, Officer Zulpadli ordered drinks for them and chatted with Syafrudin for around one hour. While they were talking, Zulpadli's colleague Renaldo, also member of the Persiapan Rantau Kopar Sub-district police joined them and later took Syafrudin to his car. Renaldo explained to Syafrudin that he would take him to the Persiapan Rantau Kopar Sub-district Police office because of Syafrudin's alleged involvement in a drugs case. Zulpadli left his motorcycle at the Uniang food stall and joined the others in the police car.
At 11 pm, Syafrudin's brother, Asnawi came to the Persiapan Rantau Kopar Sub-district Police office to look for his brother but could not find him there.
On 3 June 2011, at 10 am, the sub-district police called Asnawi and asked him to come to their office to meet the head of the the Persiapan Rantau Kopar Sub-district Police, Mr Sahdin Damanik. At the police, Head of Office Sahdin told Asnawi that his brother had died of gun shots wounds while attempting to escape. Safrudin's family then went to the Duri regional general hospital (RSUD) to see his corpse, which according to a hospital officer, was delivered by an unidentified person on June 3, 2011 at 7.50 am using a green hardtop Toyota car. (see photo of victim here)
The family then took the corpse to their house in Kepenghuluan Rantau Kopar, Rokan Hilir district. While washing the corpse, the family found swellings on the body and bruises on the face, the forehead and chest were wounded and there were two bullet wounds in the back of the head. (photo at lefft: marks of violence on the victim's body, source: victim's family) Another photo can be found here.
The police have offered no explanation as to why they used deadly force to stop the victim. Normal and recognised procedure is to aim for the legs of a fleeing victim. Also, the fact that there were two bullet wounds to the back of the head implies that deadly force was used intentionally.
Additional information:
Following this incident, the Mahatva Legal Aid Institute as the legal representative of Syafrudin's family sent a letter of complaint to the Head of the Persiapan Rantau Kopar Sub-district Police and the Chief of Regional Police of Riau. The family is demanding a criminal investigation into the case. However, as of now, the police have not started any investigation.
Suggested action:
Please join us in writing to the authorities listed below asking for an immediate and impartial investigation into the killing and for the subsequent prosecution of the perpetrators and compensation for the victims.
The AHRC is writing a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.
To support this appeal, please click here: http://www.urgentappeals.net/support.php?ua=AHRC-UAC-192-2011
Dear ___________,
Indonesia: Arrestee shot in the head by police officers allegedly while trying to escape
According to the information I have received from the Asian Human Rights Commission, Syafrudin was shot by members of the Persiapan Rantau Kopar Sub-district Police (POLSEC) in Riau on 2 June, 2011 after they arrested him at the Uniang food stall. According to the head of the the Persiapan Rantau Kopar Sub-district Police, Mr Sahdin Damanik, the police arrested Syafrudin because he was involved in a drugs case. Head of Office Sahdin told Asnawi, the victim's brother that Syafrudin had died of gun shot wounds by when trying to escape. Safrudin's family then went to the Duri regional general hospital (RSUD) to see Syafrudin's corpse, which according to a hospital officer, was delivered by an unidentified person on June 3, 2011 at 7.50 am using a green hardtop Toyota car. The family found swellings on the body and bruises in the face, the forehead and chest were wounded and there were two bullet wounds in the back of the head.
In light of the information stated above, I am of the opinion that the torture and subsequent killing of Syafrudin was deliberately committed by members of Persiapan Rantau Kopar Sub-district Police (POLSEC) during the interrogation concerning a drugs case, allegedly committed by Syafrudin. The police have deliberately covered up this case and refused to carry out an investigation. They have offered no explanation as to why they used deadly force to stop the victim. Normal and recognised procedure is to aim for the legs of a fleeing victim. Also, the fact that there were two bullet wounds to the back of the head implies that deadly force was used intentionally.
I am therefore urging you to take immediate action to prevent the criminal case from being withdrawn. An impartial and thorough criminal investigation must be conducted by an impartial and professional investigation team to cast light upon the circumstances of the killing. Immediate prosecution must be initiated against the perpetrators and the victim's family must be provided adequate compensation.
I look forward to your intervention in this case.
Yours sincerely,
Please send your letters to:
1. Mr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
The President of Indonesia
Jl. Veteran No. 16
Jakarta Pusat
INDONESIA
Tel.: +62 21 3863777, 3503088.
Fax: +62 21 3442223
2. Chairman of the National
Police Commission (Kompolnas)
Jl. Tirtayasa VII No. 20
Komplek PTIK
South Jakarta
INDONESIA
3. General of Police Timur
Pradopo
Chief of Indonesian National
Police
Markas Besar Kepolisian
Indonesia
Jl. Trunojoyo No. 3, Kebayoran
Baru
South Jakarta 12110
INDONESIA
Tel.: +62 21 3848537, 7260306,
7218010
Fax: +62 21 7220669
Email: info@polri.go.id
4. Head of Division of Profession
and Security of Indonesian Police
Markas Besar Kepolisian
Indonesia
Jl. Trunojoyo No. 3
Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta
12110
INDONESIA
Tel.:+62 21 3848537, 7260306,
7218010
Fax:+62 21 7220669
Email: info@polri.go.id
5. Chief of Regional Police
of Riau
Jl. Senepelan 10, Riau
INDONESIA
Tel.: +62 761 20084
Fax: +62 761 31783
6. Head of District Police
of Rokan Hilir
Jl. Lintas Riau Sumatera
Utara, KM. Banjar XII, Kec. Tanah Putih
Kab. Rokan Hilir Riau
INDONESIA
7. Head of National Commission
on Human Rights of Indonesia
Jalan Latuharhary No.4-B,
Jakarta 10310
INDONESIA
Tel.: +62 21 392 5227-30
Fax: +62 21 392 5227
Email: info@komnas.go.id
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission
(ua@ahrc.asia)
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