Jakarta Police detain 65 ahead of parliament rallies

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Jakarta Metropolitan Police confirmed Thursday that officers have taken "preventive action" to maintain public order and prevent security disruptions ahead of mass demonstrations scheduled at the Parliament Complex.

The preventive actions and educational outreach resulted in the detention of 65 individuals, Head of Public Relations Senior Commissioner Budi Hermanto told a news conference in Jakarta.

Hermanto emphasized that the police action was not intended to suppress freedom of speech during the planned rallies.

"The police do not restrict the freedom to express one's opinion," Hermanto said.

"We want to ensure public aspirations are conveyed peacefully while daily public activities continue normally."

He disclosed that 63 of the individuals were detained by the Criminal Investigation Directorate during operations in East Jakarta, while two others—identified by their initials, R and Z—were picked up by the Cybercrime Directorate.

The preemptive operations followed digital and field investigations aimed at ensuring the demonstrations remain peaceful and orderly, authorities said.

All 65 individuals are currently undergoing questioning to determine "their respective roles and whether they face potential criminal liability," Hermanto added.

Police urged residents planning to join the rallies to ignore unverified information on social media and refrain from bringing weapons or dangerous items to the venue.

Indonesian authorities have deployed 18,504 security personnel across six designated zones in the capital to maintain order and safeguard demonstrators on Thursday.

The Central Jakarta Police have been assigned to cover Zone 1, which encompasses the Parliament Complex. Other key security sectors include the Semanggi flyover, Hotel Mulia, the TVRI broadcast headquarters, the Parliament Complex's Pancasila Gate, Palmerah Station, and the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) headquarters.

Plans for large-scale demonstrations on Aug. 27 in Jakarta have dominated public attention in recent days, with online discussions centering on political demands raised by residents from Pati Regency, Central Java.

Representatives of the United Pati Community Alliance (APMB) confirmed plans to join peaceful rallies in the capital, calling for the immediate passage of the Asset Forfeiture Bill and the introduction of capital punishment for corruption offenses.

Translator: Siti Nurhaliza, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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