Police say treason arrests to prevent Jakarta rally being used to topple government

Jakarta: Police have revealed multiple Indonesians were arrested in predawn raids on Friday to prevent opponents of Indonesian President Joko Widodo trying to manipulate a giant protest rally into toppling the government.

Eight people have been named suspects over alleged treason and two for alleged hate speech.

A man holds a poster during a rally against Jakarta's minority Christian Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama. Photo: Dita Alangkara

Another man, Indonesian rock musician Ahmad Dhani, was arrested for allegedly insulting the President during a protest rally last month.

Eight suspects, including Rachmawati Soekarnoputri, the wheelchair-bound sister of former president Megawati Soekarnoputri, were released from detention Friday night ahead of their trial for "humanitarian reasons".

Indonesian Muslims march during a rally against Jakarta's minority Christian Governor on Friday.  Photo: Tatan Syuflana

Rachmawati, who is not politically aligned to her sister, had demanded a return of the original version of the 1945 constitution, which would make it easier to impeach the president.

General Boy Rafli Amar said the police had acted to prevent Friday's rally at Indonesia's National Monument, Monas, from being hijacked for political purposes.

"Police understand the masses can become irrational if provoked," he said.

"The allegation is related to a plan to use the masses to occupy the Parliament building and force Parliament to hold an extraordinary general assembly to change the government."

A Muslim man weeps as he prays during the rally on Friday.  Photo: Dita Alangkara

The peaceful rally, attended by more than half a million people, was held to demand Jakarta's governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, who is popularly known as Ahok, be jailed for allegedly insulting Islam.

Ahok is ethnically Chinese and the first Christian since 1964 to be governor of Jakarta.

Rachmawati Soekarnoputri, the leader of the Pioneer Party and sister of former Indonesian president Megawati Soekarnoputri. Photo: Achmad Ibrahim

The rally was allowed to proceed, despite fears it could spiral into violence, on the grounds it would be contained within the National Monument and restricted to mass chants in praise of God, sermons and Friday prayers.

"Police did not want the Ulemas' (Muslim scholars') intention to hold mass prayers to be hijacked," General Boy said.  

One of those arrested, Sri Bintang Pamungkas, an activist in the 1998 movement that led to the fall of Suharto, was detained in custody.

"He is still being questioned. It is related to YouTube content in November to incite people through social media," General Boy said.

In the YouTube video, Mr Bintang says: "Suharto, who was supported by the military, police, army, can fall. Why can't Jokowi (the nickname for the president) fall? Jokowi surely can fall."

After cheering from the small crowd, he says in the YouTube video:  "If you unite, let us together go to MPR (Parliament), demand MPR revoke Jokowi's mandate as president. Revoke!"

General Boy said freedom was not an absolute in a country based on law. He said criticism of the government was normal but treason was a different thing.

He said investigators had collected evidence from meetings and other activities that suggested a conspiracy to carry out treason.

"(Those) accused of treason are being investigated for committing a conspiracy."

A lawyer for Rachmawati confirmed his client had held a meeting at a Jakarta hotel on December 1 to discuss asking Parliament to hold a special meeting to return to the original constitution in order to impeach the President.

However Yusril Ihza Mahendra said Rachmawati did not consider this treasonous. "They were discussing their concerns over what the country is facing," he said. The solution according to them is to return to the original 1945 Constitution, before it was changed in recent years."

Mr Yusril said it would be up to experts to determine if this constituted treason.

Police said it was possible more treason suspects would later be named.

Follow Jewel Topsfield on Facebook or Twitter.

Source: Police say treason arrests to prevent Jakarta rally being used to topple government