Reports Bad Practise by The Authorities on Narcotics Issue

JAKARTA - Support for KontraS Coordinator, Harris Azhar who reported by National Police, Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Narcotics Agency (BNN) continue to emerge. Rights activists grouped in a civil coalition have called for the government to establish an independent team to carry out an investigation into the alleged involvement of law enforcement personnel in drug dealing.

The coalition, Indonesian Movement to Eradicate Narcotics Mafia was established in the wake of reports filed to the police against prominent rights activist Harris Azhar after the latter published a story online about the testimony of executed drug lord Freddy Budiman. The group is urging the independent task force to evaluate law enforcement practices in narcotic cases.

"Investigation should attempt to uncover information relating to allegations of supports given by law enforcement officials in the drugs business in this country. We demand the President's commitment in the war against narcotics," Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, chairman of youth wing of Indonesia's second-largest Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah said on Thursday (4/8).

Dahnil added, the coalition slammed the National Police, Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Narcotics Agency (BNN) for reporting Hariss on defamation charges. What Harris wrote should be used as an entrance to intensify efforts to eradicate narcotics bigwigs in Indonesia.


Some activists grouped under the Indonesian Movement to Eradicate Narcotics Mafia hold posters during a press conference on Thursday / Antara

The three institutions mentioned in Haris post about his conversation with Freddy reported the former to the National Police's Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) separately on Tuesday. Although Harris did not name any names in his post, in it he said that Freddy had alleged that personnel from the three institutions had been involved in his illicit business. The post was spread on social media just hours before Freddy faced the firing squad on the high-security Nusakambangan prison last Friday.

Previously, on behalf of Harris Azhar and the entire board and workers, KontraS say thanks for all the support friends through #SayaPercayaKontraS.

KontraS together with the Legal Aid Society and the Indonesia Brotherhood Drug Victims (PKNI) officially opened Post of Emergency Unloading Officers are complaints post for people who want to complain about bad practices by the authorities on the issue of narcotics (extortion, engineering cases, torture, trapping , threats, etc.), which are experienced/witnessed.

"Report complaints and testimony by bringing file reports and evidence of involvement of officials on the issue of narcotics. Include your name, proof of identity, the case and the chronology of events involving apparatus and related documents (images and files)," said one member of the agency workers KontraS, Arif in Jakarta, Thursday (4/8).