Malang Civil Society Coalition Condemns Security Forces' Violence against TNI Law-Rejection Protesters

TEMPO.CO, Malang - A total of 94 organizations affiliated with the Coalition of Civil Society in Malang Raya have condemned the violent actions of the joint TNI-Polri forces against demonstrators rejecting the approval of the revised Indonesian National Military (TNI) Law or TNI Law.

The coalition's demonstration on March 23, 2025, in front of the Regional People's Representative Council (DPRD) office in Malang City was themed #SaatnyaKitaKatakanCukup: Tarik Militer ke Barak Episode II. The first similar action was carried out on Thursday, March 20, 2025, along with the Kamisan Action.

The demonstration on March 23 ended in a riot and repressive actions by the joint security forces, particularly the police, assisted by a group of unidentified men dressed in black, as stated by the Coalition.

As a result, 25 students suffered injuries (six were treated at a hospital and 1 is still being treated, while 6 demonstrators were detained by the police-two of whom were high school students-and have already been released by the police, and around 80 motorcycles belonging to the demonstrators were impounded by the police.

"We consider the repressive actions against a number of demonstrators as a bad precedent for the protection of human rights and add to the list of dark records of TNI-Polri violence against civil society," as stated in the coalition's online press conference statement on Friday afternoon, March 28, 2025.

KMSMR representative Daniel Alexander Siagian described the repressive actions, including a series of attacks, destruction, beatings, intimidation, and alleged verbal sexual harassment against female demonstrators.

The head of the Malang Legal Aid Institute (LBH) office mentioned the forms of violence used by the authorities when dealing with the mass demonstration-most of the protesters being students-on March 23 as excessive or actions that went beyond the usual or were excessive, mainly carried out by the police.

One indication is that the security forces attacked the demonstrators without prior warning through sound sources, and the lights of the parliament building and the front garden lights of the city hall were turned off, making the entire demonstration area dark. The authorities also prohibited anyone other than their members from recording the incidents in the form of photos or videos.

"Moreover, the attack was experienced by the paramedic team, student press companions (8 people), and the public press, based on the latest information we received, there were 4 people," said a University of Brawijaya Faculty of Law alumni.

Daniel suspected that the excessive actions by the police have violated the provisions set forth in the Indonesian National Police Chief Regulation (Perkap) Number 16 of 2006 concerning Guidelines for Mass Control; Perkap Number 8 of 2009 concerning Implementation of Human Rights Principles and Standards in the Implementation of the Police's Duties; Perkap Number 8 of 2010 concerning Procedures for Relief and Action in the Suppression of Riots, as well as Perkap Number 7 of 2012 concerning Procedures for the Provision, Security, and Handling of Cases for the Delivery of Public Speeches.

"We believe that such violence cannot be normalized, and therefore it is necessary for the highest police commanders, both at the central and regional levels, to take full responsibility, publicly apologize, and punish the perpetrators of the violence," said Daniel.

Based on the press search, said Daniel, until now the Chief of Malang City Police Resort (Polresta) Commissioner Nanang Haryono has never once made an open statement, let alone an apology, regarding the police's actions in handling the Coalition's demonstration. Nanang also seemed to avoid or refuse questions from journalists regarding the issue.

Some Important Facts According to the Coalition

There are several facts about the incident and post-incident of the demonstration on March 23 that have not been entirely clear until then, and were later revealed by sources in the press conference held by the Coalition of Civil Society in Malang Raya (KMSMR).

More specifically, based on the joint data collected by the Coalition, the physical and verbal violence experienced by the victims included punches, kicks, chokes, slaps, curses, racial slurs, and even telephone and social media threats of murder after the incident.

As a result of the physical violence, 21 people suffered minor injuries, 3 suffered moderate injuries, and one person suffered severe injuries.

One victim with moderate injuries, Muhammad Turaihan Azuri, a former executive of the Muhammadiyah Student Association (IMM) Malang Branch, suffered a head wound and a laceration on his forehead from being beaten by around 5 personnel in the parking lot of Hotel Tugu.

His hands were handcuffed, then taken to the Malang City Police Resort Headquarters for examination without adequate medical assistance. During the examination, his hands were still cuffed. The handcuffs were only removed before 5 other demonstrators entered the investigator's room for questioning.

His head was finally examined by the medical team of the Malang City Police Resort after the Malang Legal Aid Institute team requested the investigator to provide medical assistance to Turaihan, right when the investigator started making an interrogation report for the six demonstrators.

Additionally, one of the demonstrators suffered severe injuries named Naufal Aulia Helmi Taqiyuddin, also known as Rembo, a former executive of the Brawijaya University Student Executive Board.

Rembo suffered a broken jaw, a cracked skull, and almost all his teeth were knocked out due to the assault. He and his family even experienced intimidation while being treated at the dr. Saiful Anwar General Hospital (RSSA), a public hospital owned by the East Java Provincial Government located in Malang City.

According to Risnanda, an EM UB executive, Rembo is estimated to undergo 3-4 surgeries, with the total estimated cost reaching Rp 100 million-initially estimated at Rp 70 million. EM UB has already opened a fundraising campaign for Rembo's treatment.

"The first operation was performed yesterday (Thursday, March 26, 2025). In the next month, the doctor said our friend Rembo will have another 2-3 operations, depending on his condition. Well, hopefully, there won't be many surgeries, and our friend Rembo recovers quickly," said Risnanda.

Zakiya and Salsabila from the Malang Street Paramedic Team (Coalition paramedic team) said they experienced the confiscation of medical equipment, murder threats, and verbal sexual violence. The medical aid post for the Coalition was also attacked by the authorities.

Zakiya said they had difficulty accessing an ambulance. Between 2:30 PM and 7:00 PM WIB, not a single ambulance and crew entered zone 1 (the central area of the demonstration) during the riot.

An ambulance volunteer wanted to help the injured but was prohibited by another ambulance volunteer. The ambulance volunteer who wanted to help the victims was allowed, as long as it was done privately, not using the institution.

"We received information that the ambulance crew had been briefed by the Malang City Police Resort that no ambulances were allowed to enter zone 1. I myself raised my hand to prevent them from entering the medical post, but I was still hit on the head," said Zakiya.

Her colleague, Salsabila, added that their post was not destroyed, but the items in the post were forcibly taken by the police to be used as evidence at the Malang City Police Resort Headquarters.

Fatwa Azis from the House of Justice Legal Aid Institute stated that his team had accompanied several victims who had their valuable belongings confiscated, such as mobile phones, bags, wallets, and lost money.

According to Azis, there were approximately 80 motorcycles impounded by the Malang City Police Resort on the grounds that the two-wheeled vehicles were left behind by their owners and needed to be secured. However, when the owners wanted to reclaim their motorcycles, the police not only refused but also kept them impounded without clear justification.

"At present, thank God, most of the motorcycles have been reclaimed by their owners," said Azis.

Meanwhile, Muktiono from the Indonesian Human Rights Teachers Union (Sapaham Indonesia) and Dhia Al Uyun from the Indonesian Caucus for Academic Freedom and Campus Workers' Union (KIKA/SPK) stated that the actions of the authorities in handling the demonstration crowd had gone too far and violated human rights.

"So, whatever it's called, it's already a crime against humanity, that's one. Secondly, this has violated the general public's right to a sense of security," said Dhia.

Based on numerous findings and objective conditions during the demonstration on March 23, the Coalition of Civil Society in Malang Raya issued the following statement:

1. Condemning all forms of violence and repressive actions by security forces who have acted excessively in exercising their authority in securing the demonstration.

2. Condemning all forms of racial slurs and stigma made by the authorities against the demonstrators.

3. Condemning all forms of intimidation against the paramedic team. This action has violated the demonstrators' rights to access health care and assistance.

4. Condemning the obstruction of journalistic access accompanied by violence against journalists performing their journalistic duties.

5. Condemning the alleged sexual violence and misogynistic remarks against female demonstrators, reflecting the authorities' lack of gender perspective.

6. Demanding an end to intimidation and terror against several demonstration participants following the recent events, whether through telephone calls or social media accounts.

7. Urging all elements of society to continue voicing criticism and rejection of the approval of the TNI Law that could erode civilian supremacy, violate the professionalism of the TNI, betray the spirit of the 1998 Reform, and threaten democracy, as well as potentially lead to worse human rights violations in the future.

8. Encouraging all elements of society to show solidarity with the victims of the authorities' violence.

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