25-8-2023 (JAKARTA) Indonesia’s Supreme Court has overturned the acquittal of two policemen accused of negligence in relation to one of the worst stadium disasters in football history. The decision, criticized by victims’ families as too lenient, has resulted in the imprisonment of the officers. The incident occurred in the city of Malang last October when 135 people, including over 40 children, lost their lives in a crush following a football match where police fired tear gas into packed stands after a 3-2 defeat for Arema FC against their rivals Persebaya Surabaya.
Families of the victims expressed despair and broke down in tears when an East Java court ruled in March to release the two Malang officers. However, court documents obtained by AFP reveal that Bambang Sidik Achmadi, 48, and Wahyu Setyo Pranoto, 35, were found guilty on Wednesday of negligence causing death and injury.
The ruling comes after state prosecutors filed an appeal challenging the previous acquittal. Achmadi has been sentenced to two years in prison, while Pranoto has received a two-and-a-half-year jail term.
Nevertheless, family members of those who died at Kanjuruhan Stadium argue that the decision is not severe enough. Ms. Cholifatul Nur, who lost her 15-year-old son Jofan in the stampede, expressed her dissatisfaction, stating, “It’s a joke again. It’s unfair. It’s just like being punished for stealing a cow.” The 40-year-old mother added that the families of the victims are angry and disappointed.
Prosecutors asserted that Pranoto disregarded FIFA’s regulations prohibiting the use of tear gas at football matches, and Achmadi was accused of ordering his subordinates to fire tear gas. Some families’ lawyers expressed disappointment, stating that they had hoped for murder charges rather than mere negligence.
The maximum sentence for non-premeditated murder in Indonesia is 15 years in prison. However, rights groups view the Supreme Court’s decision as a step toward justice for the grieving relatives. Amnesty International Indonesia’s deputy director, Wirya Adiwena, stated that the ruling provides new hope for the families and injured victims of the Kanjuruhan Tragedy to obtain justice. He further emphasized the importance of using this ruling as a starting point to address and overcome the culture of impunity in cases involving violence by security forces.
