KontraS Surabaya: Dozens of Protestors Detained, Legal Basis Unclear

Surabaya police arrested more than a dozen individuals participating in the #IndonesiaSekarat demonstration on Friday evening near the East Java Governor's office. Police Chief Kombes Pol Luthfie Sulistiawan confirmed that the number of detainees was still being counted, stating that arrests were made when protesters began engaging in vandalism and throwing objects.

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Still being counted, but temporarily around a dozen, we are still counting.

The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) Surabaya reported that nearly 20 protesters were detained. Fatkhul Khoir, coordinator for KontraS Surabaya, noted that only four individuals had been identified so far: two students and two informal workers, including a woman.

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Based on the monitoring we carried out, a dozen people were arrested, almost 20 people. But those whose names have been identified are around 4 people.

KontraS is actively seeking to understand the legal grounds for these arrests, as the justification remains unclear. The organization has stated its readiness to provide legal assistance to those detained. According to KontraS's observations, the arrested individuals were initially held in the vicinity of the Governor's office before any potential transfer to the Surabaya police headquarters.

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This is what we don't know yet, what is the basis for their arrest today. We are still trying to monitor and in principle, if legal assistance is needed, we from KontraS are ready to assist our friends who were arrested by the police today.

Khoir reported witnessing three arrests firsthand, though he could not confirm if those individuals were part of the protest. One identified protester was known by the initial P, while three others detained at the same location remain unidentified. KontraS is currently unable to confirm whether any detainees experienced violence, awaiting more comprehensive reports from the individuals involved.

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We don't know yet whether the masses arrested today also experienced violence, because we haven't received a complete report.