The Asian Games have barely opened in Jakarta. The last thing they need is this explosive claim from Amnesty International.

Dozens of people have been shot by the police as part of an escalating crackdown against petty crime in the months leading up to the Asian Games, a human rights organisation alleged on Friday.

In a written statement received by The Jakarta Post on yesterday, Amnesty International Indonesia claimed that police officers had shot at least 77 people across the country between January and August this year, in an operation dubbed Cipta Kondisi (Public Safety Operation).

Among the number, 31 were shot in the Asian Games’ host cities, Jakarta and Palembang, South Sumatra. The organization believes that the police are taking a heavy-handed approach ahead of the Asian Games, which takes place from August 18 to September 2. Amnesty International Indonesia’s executive director Usman Hamid said the figures reveal a clear pattern of unnecessary and excessive use of force by the police. Read the rest of the story HERE.</s>JAKARTA: Amnesty International says Indonesian police fatally shot dozens of petty criminals in a deliberate campaign of "unnecessary and excessive" force ahead of the Asian Games.

The rights group said Friday that 31 of the police killings it recorded from media reports between January and August were directly linked to street-crime crackdowns for the games being hosted in Jakarta and Palembang.

It said police shot dead 77 petty criminals across Indonesia during the same period, a large increase from 2017.

Police were criticized last month when they said they had killed 11 street thugs in Jakarta in under two weeks. They were among 52 suspected criminals shot in the capital for resisting arrest.

Amnesty official Usman Hamid said hosting an international sports event "must not come at the price of abandoning human rights" and called for all deaths to be promptly investigated.

"These shocking figures reveal a clear pattern of unnecessary and excessive use of force by the police, and a constant veil of impunity that taints public security institutions," he said in a statement.

The spokesman for Indonesia's national police didn't return calls or text messages.

Indonesian police have also carried out a heavy-handed policy against suspected drug traffickers, fatally shooting dozens last year.

Some 12,000 athletes from 45 nations and territories are competing in the 18th games, which open Saturday.</s>At least 31 people have been killed by police in Indonesia amid an escalating crackdown on petty crime as the country prepares to host the Asian Games, according to Amnesty International.

Officers have been instructed to shore up public safety ahead of the major sporting event, and have adopted a shoot on sight policy against suspects who resist, the reports.

The security operation has prompted concern among international rights groups, fearing that police have taken the instructions as “a license to kill.”

At least 77 criminal suspects have been shot dead across Indonesia between January and August, a 64% increase over the same period last year, by Amnesty’s count. Of those killings, 31 were directly connected with the coming games, which open Saturday in Jakarta and Palembang.

“The hosting of an international sporting event must not come at the price of abandoning human rights. The killings must stop and all deaths must be promptly and effectively investigated,” Usman Hamid, executive director of Amnesty International Indonesia told the .

The killings come as the capital undertakes an intense “clean-up” campaign in preparation for the games, including much-ridiculed efforts to hide urban blights like polluted rivers.

At least 12,000 athletes are expected to compete in the 18th Asian Games — the largest multi-sport competition outside the Olympics, according to the . More than 100,000 police and soldiers will provide security during the event.

But rights groups say the games are serving as a pretext for a wider crackdown.

“The Asian Games are intended to celebrate human achievement, not provide a pretext for a police ‘shoot to kill’ policy in the name of crime control,” said Phelim Kine, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

Some Indonesian officials have praised the Philippines’ war on drugs and its extrajudicial killing of suspects as a model for handing crime.

“From practice in the field we see that when we shoot at drug dealers they go away,” Indonesia’s national police chief Tito Karniavan said last year.</s>Jakarta: Indonesian police has killed dozens of petty criminals in a massive crackdown against them, ahead of the 18th edition of the Asian Games that begins on Saturday.

According to a report by the Amnesty International, 31 people died in police raids between January and August this year in Jakarta and Palembang, the two host cities of the Asian Games. The report also revealed that 77 people were killed by the Indonesian police across the country during the same period, CNN reported.

The total number of those killed and accused of petty crimes in 2018 represented an increase of 64 per cent over the same period in 2017. Amnesty said that the crackdown by the police was "unnecessary and excessive" and accounted for almost "zero accountability for the deaths."

"In the months leading up to the Asian Games, the authorities promised to improve security for all. Instead, we have seen the police shooting and killing dozens of people across the country with almost zero accountability for the deaths," said Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid.

He added, "These shocking figures reveal a clear pattern of unnecessary and excessive use of force by the police, and a constant veil of impunity that taints public security institutions. The hosting of an international sporting event must not come at the price of abandoning human rights. The killings must stop and all deaths must be promptly and effectively investigated."

The human rights group elucidated that most of the killings occurred when the low-level criminals, carrying guns and sharp weapons, rode on motorcycles to rob the passers-by.

As a part of a "public safety" operation, 14 people (11 in Greater Jakarta and three in South Sumatra region) were shot dead by the police between July 3 to 12, the Amnesty report said.

The report revealed that 41 people were shot in the legs and over 700 others arrested were charged with a criminal offence.

While accusing the Indonesian police of launching a 'shoot first and ask questions later' policy, Hamid further said, "The National Commission on Human Rights and National Police Commission must promptly launch a thorough, impartial and independent investigation into the killings and bring everyone suspected of criminal responsibility before justice, including those in the chain of command."

The Asian Games will begin on Saturday and continue till September 2 in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang.</s>(BBC) – Indonesian police have fatally shot dozens of “petty criminals” in the lead up the 2018 Asian Games, rights group Amnesty International says.

The group condemned the deaths, calling for an investigation into the “shoot first and ask questions later policy”.

At least 77 people have reportedly been shot dead since January, Amnesty said, with 31 deaths in police raids meant to clean up host cities for the Games.

Authorities have said that people were shot after resisting the police.

The raids began in July with high-ranking officials telling their officers “don’t hesitate to take firm action”, the BBC’s Indonesian service reported.

The two-week-long Asian Games, which starts on Saturday, will take place in the capital Jakarta and the South Sumatran city of Palembang.

Authorities are deploying 100,000 police and soldiers for the 18th annual event, which will see some 17,000 athletes compete between 18 August and 2 September in the largest multi-sporting event outside of the Olympics.

“The authorities promised to improve security for all. Instead, we have seen the police shooting and killing dozens of people with almost zero accountability for the deaths,” head of Amnesty Indonesia, Usman Hamid, said.

“The hosting of an international sporting event must not come at the price of abandoning human rights.”

The killings peaked in the first half of July, when 11 people were shot dead in greater Jakarta and 41 others shot in the legs.

The total number of those killed and accused of petty crimes in 2018 represents a 64% increase on the same period in 2017.

“These shocking figures reveal a clear pattern of unnecessary and excessive force by the police,” Mr Hamid said in a statement.

Thousands of people have been arrested and hundreds detained in an effort to ensure the safety of visiting tourists, according National Police Chief General Tito Karnavian.

“In the last month… I have ordered my personnel to finish off all networks of pick-pockets and bag-snatchers,” he told reporters in late July.

The police operation is expected to end with the Games, but many people on the streets of Jakarta would not be opposed to the drive continuing, BBC Indonesian’s Heyder Affan reports.

“I agree with the police action because it’s [otherwise] very dangerous for the people,” said one resident in the capital’s old town.</s>In a Friday match held at Wibawa Mukti Stadium, Iranian squad won their East Asian rival 3-0. Amir Roustaei scored the first goal at 27’. In the second half, Mehdi Ghayedi found the back of the net at 68’, just five minutes after replacing Yunnis Delfi. And Aref Aghasi scored the last goal from penalty in the extra time.

Iran had earned one point from the match against KSA in the first game on Wednesday which ended with a 1-1 draw.

The 2018 Asian Games officially starts on Aug. 18 and wraps up on Sep. 2 in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang while basketball, football and handball competitions have started from August 14.</s>A police crackdown on petty crime in the run-up to the Asian Games in Indonesia has claimed dozens of lives, Amnesty International said Friday, criticising what it said was an "unnecessary and excessive" campaign.

The rights group said at least 31 suspects were killed under a "shoot first and ask questions later" operation in host city Jakarta and South Sumatra in the lead-up to the world's second-biggest multi-sport event, which kicks off Saturday.

"These shocking figures reveal a clear pattern of unnecessary and excessive use of force," said Usman Hamid, executive director of Amnesty's Indonesia office.

"The hosting of an international sporting event must not come at the price of abandoning human rights."

Nationwide, Amnesty said police shot and killed some 77 suspects since January, up 64 percent from the same time last year, but they were not all directly linked to the Games.

Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Last month, authorities said they had shot over 50 suspects in Jakarta who "resisted arrest" during a pre-Games crackdown, with some 15 of them dying of their wounds.

Shooting thieves and muggers who were armed or attempted to flee was necessary to clean up the streets before thousands arrived in Indonesia for the Games, police have said.

Human Rights Watch has also criticised the policy.

"The Asian Games are intended to celebrate human achievement, not provide a pretext for a police 'shoot to kill' policy in the name of crime control," HRW's deputy Asia director Phelim Kine said last month.

Authorities have also been targeting terror suspects, with Indonesia on high alert following a string of suicide bombings this year which reignited concerns about Islamist militants.

Tens of thousands of security personnel are being deployed during the August 18-September Games.

Indonesia is hosting some 11,000 athletes and 5,000 officials for the event.</s>Human rights body Amnesty International on Friday said that the Indonesian Police killed more than 70 “petty criminals” in “an excessive use of force” ahead of the 2018 Asian Games. The Games, , which will begin on Saturday, will be held in two cities – capital Jakarta and Palembang in South Sumatra province.

At least 77 people, including 31 in the host cities, have been shot dead across the country between January and August. A majority of the killings took place in police operations intended to prepare the cities and improve security ahead of the tournament from August 18 to September 2.

“In the months leading up to the Asian Games, the authorities promised to improve security for all,” said Amnesty International Indonesia’s Executive Director Usman Hamid. “Instead, we have seen the police shooting and killing dozens of people across the country with almost zero accountability for the deaths.”

Hamid said hosting an international sporting event should not come at the “price of abandoning human rights”.

During a 10-day period crackdown that began on July 3, 11 people were killed and another 41 shot in the leg in greater Jakarta. Three people were also shot dead in South Sumatra. Out of the 5,000 people arrested, more than 700 were charged with a criminal offence.

“These shocking figures reveal a clear pattern of unnecessary and excessive use of force by the police, and a constant veil of impunity that taints public security institutions,” said Hamid.

Before the public safety operations started, top officials had announced that the police would take “firm actions”, including shooting on-sight anyone who resisted arrest or attacked police officers. On July 30, the chief of National Police said, “If they fight the officers during the arrest, then have no doubt, just shoot them.”

“The Asian Games are intended to celebrate human achievement, not provide a pretext for a police ‘shoot to kill’ policy in the name of crime control,” Phelim Kine, Deputy Asia Director at Human Rights Watch, told The Guardian.

Hamid called upon the National Commission on Human Rights and the National Police Commission to launch a thorough, impartial and independent investigation into the killings. “The killings must stop and all deaths must be promptly and effectively investigated,” he added.</s>Jakarta, Aug 17 (AFP) A police crackdown on petty crime in the run-up to the Asian Games in Indonesia has claimed dozens of lives, Amnesty International said today, criticising what it said was an "unnecessary and excessive" campaign.

The rights group said at least 31 suspects were killed under a "shoot first and ask questions later" operation in host city Jakarta and South Sumatra in the lead-up to the world's second-biggest multi-sport event, which kicks off tomorrow.

"These shocking figures reveal a clear pattern of unnecessary and excessive use of force," said Usman Hamid, executive director of Amnesty's Indonesia office.

"The hosting of an international sporting event must not come at the price of abandoning human rights."

Nationwide, Amnesty said police shot and killed some 77 suspects since January, up 64 per cent from the same time last year, but they were not all directly linked to the Games.

Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Last month, authorities said they had shot over 50 suspects in Jakarta who "resisted arrest" during a pre-Games crackdown, with some 15 of them dying of their wounds.

Shooting thieves and muggers who were armed or attempted to flee was necessary to clean up the streets before thousands arrived in Indonesia for the Games, police have said.

Human Rights Watch has also criticised the policy.

"The Asian Games are intended to celebrate human achievement, not provide a pretext for a police 'shoot to kill' policy in the name of crime control," HRW's deputy Asia director Phelim Kine said last month.

Authorities have also been targeting terror suspects, with Indonesia on high alert following a string of suicide bombings this year which reignited concerns about Islamist militants.

Tens of thousands of security personnel are being deployed during the August 18-September Games.

Indonesia is hosting some 11,000 athletes and 5,000 officials for the event</s>Police in Indonesia have been accused of killing 31 people in a brutal push to cut down on street crime ahead of the Asian Games.

Amnesty International said that officers in the host cities of Jakarta and South Sumatra had shot dead 31 people during months of operations tied to the athletics competition.

They said that 41 people had also been shot in the legs in a public statement, which calls on Indonesian and international authorities to take action.

The statement said the police activity was "explicitly" tied to preparation for the games.

Police conduct an anti-terror drill before the Asian Games, August 15, 2018. AP Images

Amnesty's description is consistent with statements from Indonesia authorities.

In the past police chief General Tito Karnavian said he told his officers "not to hesitate shooting drug dealers who resist arrest."

"From practice in the field, we see that when we shoot at drug dealers they go away," referring to the drug war initiated by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, The Jakara Post reported.

Around 12,000 athletes will take part in the 18th Asian Games, which has its first event on August 18. It is the largest international competition after the Olympics

Business Insider has attempted to contact the Indonesia National Police about the claims.
Amnesty International releases a report accusing Indonesian police of fatally shooting at least 77 suspected petty criminals since January 2018, in the lead-up to the 2018 Asian Games. Authorities insist that lethal force is used when the suspects resist the police.