Lawyer asks Yogya police to explain reason behind suspects transfer

Bambang Muryanto, the Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta | Archipelago | Fri, April 05 2013, 6: 59 PM

A lawyer of the four prisoners killed in their cell in the prison Sleman Yogyakarta last week said that the police owed the public an explanation of why it had decided to transfer of the suspects from the police detention center.

"My customers came there by the police. Therefore, now the police should explain to us why they decided to the defendants of the cell where they were first held, "Rio Ramabaskara, one of the four prisoners, lawyers said on Thursday.

He said the police the previous statement that the transfer is necessary as a result of cell renovation is shaky because there was no information on this before.

"I want to know of the allocation of resources for this renovation, if any. To my knowledge, such renovation must be thorough preparation, including the financing, while the transfer so suddenly sounds, "he said.

He said he had worked with the National Commission on human rights (Komnas HAM) in order to figure out the reason behind the transfer.

Separately, Hillarius Mero, lawyer of the four suspects who had been accused of abuse by first. Sgt. Sriyono, a former Kopassus soldier, who had been stabbed when trying to separate the two groups of criminals who at JL. Dr. Sutomo Yogyakarta, fought, said the announcement of the army research team head Brig. Gen. Unggul K Yudhoyono was misleading.

"My client does not have a relationship with the four prisoners who have been killed in prison Sleman," he said.

It was widely reported that one of his clients, Marcel, a close friend of Henry Angel Sahetapy alias Deki, one of the slain prisoners was.

Brig, Gen, Unggul K Yudhoyono had previously stated that the same group of criminals behind the attacks on Chief sat. Sgt. Heru Santoso, first Sgt. Heru Santoso mentioned in earlier articles and first Sgt. Sriyono, a former Kopassus soldier who is now an intelligence officer at the Yogyakarta regional military command.(dic)