Trial began in the Indonesia stadium disaster on Monday when five men charged with negligence appeared in front of the court via video conferencing.
Three local police officers, a match organiser, and a security official are facing the music. If convicted by the court, they could face a maximum sentence of five years in prison. A sixth suspect, a former director of the company that runs Indonesia’s premier football league is currently under police investigation.
The accused were supposed to be physically present in the court. However, the public furore over the incident forced the authorities to conduct the proceedings virtually for security reasons. Even then, thousands of police personnel were deployed around the court.
“Lives should be paid with lives. That’s not just numbers, it’s human lives. We need justice for my child,” one of the parents protesting outside the courthouse was quoted as saying by AFP.
On October 1, over 130 people were killed at the Kanjuruhan stadium in what has been described as one of the worst sporting disasters in modern history.
The stampede was triggered by the usage of tear gas by the police as panicked fans tried to escape through the exit gates.
The tear gas canisters were fired after some supporters invaded the pitch after the culmination of the match between rivals Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya.
As the fans desperately tried to find a way out, they could not escape as several exit gates were locked, leading to an even more chaotic situation.
Viral videos on social media showed fans clambering over fences to escape and lifeless bodies lying on the floor.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced that the authorities will demolish and rebuild the Kanjuruhan stadium.
“Kanjuruhan stadium in Malang…we will demolish it and rebuild according to FIFA standards.”
The president said he agreed with FIFA President Gianni Infantino on significant changes to how the sport was managed in Indonesia.
(With inputs from agencies)
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