Helmi Syarif, Jakarta – The Metro Jaya regional police have summoned Indonesian Trade Union Congress Alliance (KASBI) General Chairperson Nining Elitos over alleged incitement and violations of health protocols. Elitos is scheduled to be questioned by police on March 15.
The summons is suspected to be related to a protest action held by KASBI, the Workers Movement with the People (GEBRAK), the Confederation of United Indonesian Workers (KPBI), the Indonesian Harbour Transportation Labour Federation (FBTPI), the PRI Federated Trade Union and the Garut Chang Shin Indonesia Trade Union (SBCSI) at the Ministry of Labour and International Labor Organisation (ILO) offices in Jakarta on March 8.
Elitos, who has confirmed the summons, said she feels discriminated against over the charges of violating health protocols because a report on President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo during a visit to Maumere in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) which resulted in large crowds was rejected by police.
"Then they are using that law (on health quarantines) to discriminate against people who are fighting [for their rights]. If you want to talk about justice in the eyes of the law, the president's visit to NTT where there were much larger crowds should be [pursued], but the report was rejected [by police]", she told journalists on Friday March 12.
Based on the summons, Elitos was reported for allegedly violating Article 169 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) and or Article 160 of the KUHP and or Article 93 of Law Number 6/2018 on Health Quarantines and or article 216 of the KUHP and or Article 55 Paragraph (1) of the first KUHP.
Despite this, Elitos said she will be unable to fulfill the summons and has handed the matter over to her lawyer to submit an official letter on March 15. "[My] lawyer will provide a response in an official letter on the 15th (of March), tomorrow", she said.
Speaking separately, the director of the Metro Jaya regional police general crimes detectives directorate, Senior Commissioner Tubagus Ade Hidayat, also confirmed the summons. Hidayat said that Elitos will be questioned on the implementation of health protocols (prokes) to prevent Covid-19 during the IWD demonstration on March 8.
"[She'll] be asked (for clarification) in relation to the implementation of prokes. We'll just be asking for clarification first", he said accusingly.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Diduga Langgar Prokes saat Demo, Ketua KASBI Nining Dipanggil Polisi".]
