301 Arrested During Jakarta Protest, Lawmakers Demand Release
Jakarta. A total of 301 individuals were arrested during a protest at the House of Representatives in Jakarta on Thursday, according to the Jakarta Metro Police. The demonstration, which involved damage to public facilities and acts of violence, led to widespread arrests across Central and West Jakarta by local police forces.
"301 people have been detained by the Central Jakarta Metro Police, West Jakarta Metro Police, and various district police stations," said the Jakarta Police spokesperson Ade Ary Syam Indradi on Friday.
While some detainees have been released, investigations continue for others. "Some have been sent home, but the process of gathering statements takes time," Ade Ary added.
The protests were sparked by opposition to the House of Representatives' (DPR) revision of Law No. 10/2016 on Regional Elections. The demonstration attracted various groups, including academics, celebrities, and 1998 reform activists, united under the "Peringatan Indonesia Darurat (Indonesia Emergency Alert)" movement.
Deputy Speaker of the DPR Sufmi Dasco Ahmad visited the Jakarta Metro Police office on Friday to check on the detained protesters. Dasco called on the police to release those who had not committed any offenses, offering personal guarantees for their release. "If there are no violations, they should not be detained. We will act as guarantors for their release," he told reporters.
On Tuesday, the Constitutional Court decided to lower the electoral threshold, allowing more candidates to participate in the 2024 regional election. However, the DPR, excluding PDI-P, ruled that this change would only apply to non-parliamentary parties, restricting candidate options for the upcoming November election.
Additionally, the DPR's decision to set a minimum age of 30 for regional election candidates has drawn criticism, particularly as it could pave the way for President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo's son, Kaesang Pangarep, to run in the regional election. Critics argue that the Jokowi family is consolidating power, pointing to the recent election of Jokowi's eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, as vice president.
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