An Indonesian court docket commenced proceedings on Monday in opposition to a lot of cops and soccer match organizers, who’re going through fees of prison negligence for his or her involvement in one of many world’s most devastating soccer stadium stampedes in Java final October.
The catastrophe, by which 135 individuals died, occurred after a match at Kanjuruhan stadium in Malang, East Java, sparking questions on security provisions and the usage of tear fuel, a crowd-control measure banned by soccer’s international governing physique, FIFA.
A court docket in Surabaya will hear fees in opposition to 5 individuals, together with three police officers and one safety officer, and a match organizer. If discovered responsible, they face a most jail sentence of 5 years.
The trial is being held through teleconference as a consequence of safety considerations, mentioned court docket spokesperson Agung Pranata.
Indonesia’s human rights fee, which carried out an investigation into the stampede final November, discovered police fired 45 rounds of tear fuel into the gang on the finish of the match, inflicting panic that led to the stampede. Investigators concluded that extreme and indiscriminate use of tear fuel was the primary set off behind the lethal crush.
The fee mentioned locked doorways, an overcapacity stadium and failure to correctly implement security procedures exacerbated the loss of life toll.
A lawyer for the match organizer from Arema, one of many soccer golf equipment concerned within the match, mentioned his consumer denied all fees.
“If there is negligence it should be on the police, who fired the tear gas, not us,” mentioned Sudarman, the lawyer.
Lawyers for the police and safety officers on trial weren’t instantly out there for remark.
After the incident, Indonesian President Joko Widodo introduced that each one soccer league matches can be suspended and that Kanjuruhan stadium can be demolished and rebuilt.
League matches have since resumed within the Southeast Asian nation, however with none spectators.
