(AJI/IFEX) – The following is an AJI press release: STATEMENT IN PROTEST OF BEATING OF AN ‘ACEH EKSPRES’ JOURNALIST BY THREE TNI OFFICERS The Alliance of Independent Journalist (AJI) strongly protests the violent acts of three military officers of Koramil Blangpidie, who tortured Nasrun Yunan, a journalist from the Aceh Ekspres daily. This occurred on […]
(AJI/IFEX) – The following is an AJI press release:
STATEMENT IN PROTEST OF BEATING OF AN ‘ACEH EKSPRES’ JOURNALIST BY THREE TNI OFFICERS
The Alliance of Independent Journalist (AJI) strongly protests the violent acts of three military officers of Koramil Blangpidie, who tortured Nasrun Yunan, a journalist from the Aceh Ekspres daily.
This occurred on Monday morning, 20 December 1999. Nasrun Yunan was at Sarinah Tailor, Blangpidie, South Aceh, when, unexpectedly, a military officer, Pratu Lalu Kamal, criticised Nasrun by screaming, “Why didn’t you write anything about the lowering of the Indonesian red and white flag?” Before being able to answer the question, Nasrun was suddenly punched and kicked by this TNI officer of Koramil Blangpidie. This officer also pointed his gun at Nasrun and threatened to kill him.
A few minutes later, another TNI officer from the same Koramil entered. Instead of stopping the attack, he joined his friend and assaulted Nasrun. Not only did he beat the journalist, but he also used his gun to punch Nasrun. During the beating, the officer threatened: “If you report this, I will kill you. I don’t care about any human rights violations.”
This cruel treatment did not stop there. The situation further deteriorated when another TNI officer, Serda Salahuddin, joined them to mistreat Nasrun. The beating lasted almost thirty minutes. Because of this incident, Nasrun received serious injuries to his finger, left eye, head, chest and waist.
The three TNI officers have clearly violated freedom of the press and insulted the journalism profession. As security officers, they have also acted arbitrarily, in defiance of the law, and demonstrated abuse of power and the arrogance of those in power.
In response to this incident the Alliance of Independent Journalist (AJI):
1. Strongly protests the cruel treatment of Nasrun Yunan, the Aceh Ekspres journalist, by the three military officers of Koramil Blangpidie.
2. Demands that the military police process the three TNI officers in accordance with the relevant law, because they have commited criminal acts.
3. Demands that the three TNI officers be dismissed from their posts in TNI because this incident demonstrates that they have abused their power.
4. Appeals yet again for all parties, particularly TNI, to respect the journalism profession and freedom of the press, which is a pillar of democracy.
Jakarta, 24 December 1999
AJI Indonesia
Didik Supriyanto Eski Suyanto & Solahudin
Secretary General Advocacy Divition
