The mother finger and eye vision of Arman, alias, pointed to screen of the mobile phone. It was on 22 May 2019 at about 08.00 Local Time. He was upset because no online taxi driver was willing to pick him from after few times ordering from Pelni HospitalPetamburan, West Jakarta.
Eventually he had an idea of getting on a car of a charity organization to leave the hospital situated not far from the Mobile Brigade Dormitory, Petamburan. However not more than 100 meters driving, the car was halted by the Mobile Brigade. “This one is about the escape,” said Arman repeating the shouting by a policeman.
They opened the car door by force. They pulled out Arman and dragged him off to the front side of the Mobile Brigade dormitory, Petamburan. There, he witnessed dozens of people received similar treatment: being kicked and beaten.
“They were reluctant to listen. We were just beaten,” said Arman to Jaring.id and Tempo, Tuesday, 2 July 2019.
In such a desperate condition, the male of 36-year old male was taken to the Resort Police of West Jakarta with eyes and hands tied with black tape. On the way at the said noon, Arman tried to stand the pain caused by beating, kicking on his body and head. He did not remember which beating caused his temples to bleed.
“The scars remain until now,” Mobile Brigade while showing the scars.
Angga Prayoga (22) experienced similar treatment when being interrogated at West Jakarta Resort Police. He said that he was interrogated for about 6 hours, starting on Wednesday, 22 May 2019 at 20.00 Local Time until Thursday, 23 May 2019 at about 02.00 Local Time.
He was beaten with shoes and iron ruler when being interrogated. He said that the police beated him after answering the question about his reason being at the location of the riot on Wednesday morning 22 May 2019.
The location was jalan KS. Tubun, the regular route Angga to his workplace at Tanah Abang area.
“Frankly I don’t know (riot). I continued to the An-Nur mosque, we can use that route,” Mobile Brigade to Jaring.id and Tempo, Tuesday, 22 July 2019.
Angga stopped his motorbike when seeing a group of personnel in front of Masjid An-Nur, Petamburan. He asked about the road direction he can use to Tanah Abang.
His intention of going to his workplace turned out to be a nightmare when a police ordered him to take off his jacket. The tatoo on each arm caused suspicion of the police.
“This is the troublemaker,” Angga said imitating the words of the police.
At first he was calm, He was sure that he was innocent and would be released. However, his confidence dropped when he was confrontd with the journalists as suspects. They have similar identification when assembled by the police with Angga, all parts of the body of the suspect were drawn with tattoo.
Angga only bowed his head down in front of journalist camera. The police then ordered him to head up.
“Just because of the tattoo, (I) was ordered to be in the most front. When I stood in the most front, the police threatened me with his gun because I bowed my head down,” he explained.
Rere, an alias name, felt so worried when her phone call was not picked up by Angga, his girlfriend, since Wednesday noon, 22 May 2019, the short message she sent via WhatsApp was sent at 10 p.m.. The restriction by the government on that day has interrupted the traffic of the message.
Approaching midnight, Angga did not even send any information. Rere did not just wait but trying to contact his families to find out.
“I directly (contacted) his relative. None of them knew,” she said, Tuesday, 22 July 2019.
Her anxiety calmed down when Angga’ss face was captured on the camera on an online news site on Thursday, 23 May 2019. She rushed to the West Jakarta Resort Police to meet her boyfriend.
The time is not right, she could not meet Angga when visiting the police station on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The police suggested to return on Monday, 27 May 2019.
At the beginning of the last weekend on May 2019, his tears fell when he met his girlfriend. It has been five days in Ramadan they were separated from the prison iron bars.
The mother of Joni, who was reluctant to describe her name, gasped. The promise of her children to go home town on Saturday, 25 May 2019 failed. Joni was arrested by the police while being around Sarinah area, three days before his returning to his home town.
“Yes, I was beaten with baton. Every time the Mobile Brigade officer walked in front of him, I was beaten. There was a person hugging me, a man. If he had not helped me, I don’t know what would happen,” Mobile Brigade officer repeating the confession by Joni, to Jaring.id and Tempo, Monday, 1 July 2019.
After being arrested, Joni was dragged off to a location around Bawaslu Building, Central Jakarta. He was then taken to Metro Jaya Regional Police station for an interrogation. Joni served his time on Ramadan month at Panti Sosial Marsudi Handayani, Cipayung, East Jakarta.
After a week of detention, the mother Joni found the bump beating scars to her child on the left head. There were also four stitches on the head.
“Even if my child is to be arrested, just arrest him. Do not abuse him. They should have asked him first why (he) joined, they (police) did not know,” she complained angrily.
The Head of Information Bureay of Community Relations Division Polri Brigjen (Pol) Dedi Prasetyo did not deny the fact of possible use of violence by the police when arresting and investigating.
“For investigation of hundreds of people, there is small chance of (use of violence) due to matter of time. For global arrest, there is a possibility (use of violence),” said Karopenmas Polri Brigjen Dedi Prasetyo to Jaring.id and Tempo.
