Indonesian football disaster trial begins, 5 people prosecuted

Indonesian football disaster trial begins, 5 people prosecuted

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SURABAYA, Indonesia — An Indonesian court ruled on Monday that 135 people died after police fired tear gas inside a football stadium and many panicked toward a crushed exit, five on a charge of negligence. started a trial against a man.

A deadly crowd surge on October 1 in Malang city, East Java, was one of the world’s worst sports disasters. Police fired tear gas as fans flooded the pitch after Arema FC lost to rivals Persebaya his Surabaya for the first time in 23 years at home.

The match at Kanjurhan Stadium was attended only by Arema fans as the organizers had banned Persebaya supporters due to Indonesia’s history of intense football rivalry.

Judges have arrived at the Surabaya courts for the first trial of the stampede case at the Kajulhan Stadium in Surabaya on January 16, 2023.
Judges have arrived at the Surabaya courts for the first trial of the stampede case at the Kajulhan Stadium in Surabaya on January 16, 2023.
AFP via Getty Images

Police described the pitch invasion as a riot and said two officers were killed, but survivors accused them of overreacting. They were seen kicking, hitting, and pushing the audience back into the stands.

At least 11 police officers fired tear gas.

An investigative team set up by Indonesian President Joko Widodo has concluded that tear gas was the main cause of the crowd surge in response to public outcry over the deaths. unaware that the use of tear gas was prohibited, it was used “indiscriminately” on the field, in the stands, and outside the stadium, flooding more than 42,000 spectators inside the 36,000-seat stadium. To the exit – some of them were locked.

Football fans flood the pitch during clashes between supporters at the Kanjurhan Stadium in Malang, Indonesia.

Football fans flood the pitch during clashes between supporters at the Kanjurhan Stadium in Malang, Indonesia.


A plainclothes police officer inspects a wrecked patrol car during a football riot at the Kanjurhan Stadium in Malang, East Java, Indonesia, October 2, 2022.

A plainclothes police officer inspects a wrecked patrol car during a football riot at the Kanjurhan Stadium in Malang, East Java, Indonesia, October 2, 2022.


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Security guards restrain a fan as supporters of two Indonesian football teams clash at the Kanjurhan Stadium in Malang, East Java, Indonesia, on October 1, 2022.

Security guards restrain a fan as supporters of two Indonesian football teams clash at the Kanjurhan Stadium in Malang, East Java, Indonesia, on October 1, 2022.


Police officers and soldiers stand in a cloud of tear gas during a football match at the Kanjurhan Stadium in Malang, East Java, Indonesia, October 1, 2022.

Police officers and soldiers stand in a cloud of tear gas during a football match at the Kanjurhan Stadium in Malang, East Java, Indonesia, October 1, 2022.


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This is one of the football-related tragedies that killed more than 300 people in Peru in 1964.

Prosecutors have charged five men — three police officers who allowed or ordered the use of tear gas on officers, and the chairman and head of security of the Arema FC Organizing Committee — for manslaughter and bodily harm. Did. was convicted.

Police were stationed outside a court in Surabaya ahead of the first trial of the stampede case at the Qajrhan Stadium in Surabaya on January 16, 2023.

Police were stationed outside a court in Surabaya ahead of the first trial of the stampede case at the Qajrhan Stadium in Surabaya on January 16, 2023.


A mobile brigade police officer stands guard outside a court in Surabaya ahead of the first trial against a football stampede in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia, January 16, 2023.

A police officer stands guard outside a Surabaya courthouse ahead of the first trial in a football stampede case in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia, January 16, 2023.


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Authorities in East Java’s provincial capital Surabaya on Monday deployed 1,600 security forces, including police and soldiers, to Surabaya District Court and its surroundings, and the trial was held remotely to tighten security.

Arema’s fans, popularly known as ‘Alemania’, are prohibited from coming to Surabaya during the trial to avoid conflicts with Persebaya’s fans.

A woman holds up a picture of her son, who died in the October 1, 2022 Kanjurhan football stadium disaster.
A woman holds up a picture of her son, who died in the October 1, 2022 Kanjurhan football stadium disaster.
AFP via Getty Images

The National Police dismissed the chief of police in East Java and Malang districts and suspended nine other police officers for violating professional ethics since the tragedy.

A fact-finding team, including government officials, football and security experts and activists, concluded that the National Football Association, known as the PSSI, was at fault and disregarded safety and security regulations. asked the executive committee to resign.

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