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Rights groups file lawsuit against Indonesian presidential candidate

Petition claims Prabowo Subianto's abuses in the military mean he's not fit to run
Rights groups file lawsuit against Indonesian presidential candidate

Prabowo Subianto's candidacy remains controversial in Indonesia ahead of presidential elections on July 9 (photo by Ryan Dagur)

Published: June 26, 2014 08:43 AM GMT
Updated: June 25, 2014 10:09 PM GMT

Rights groups on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against Indonesia’s election commission for approving the presidential candidacy of Prabowo Subianto, claiming gross rights violations during his tenure as special forces chief 16 years ago.

Prabowo, a senior military official during the rule of dictator Gen Suharto in the 1990s, trails Jakarta governor Joko Widodo although polls suggest the gap is closing with less than two weeks until the vote on July 9.

“This approval of a presidential candidate with a bad record of gross human rights violations in the past is a setback in this state in terms of upholding law and democracy,” rights groups said in a statement announcing the lawsuit filed at the State Administrative Court in Jakarta.

Prabowo, a former special forces commander, is accused of involvement in abducting and detaining 23 democracy activists – 13 of whom disappeared – in 1998.

The lawsuit filed on Wednesday noted a leaked letter dismissing him from the military after the abductions, although supporters have contended Prabowo resigned to take moral responsibility for abuses at the end of Suharto’s rule.

Rights groups said Prabowo violates Indonesia’s presidential election laws stating candidates “must never betray the country or conduct corrupt practices and other gross practices”.

“We want Prabowo removed from the list of presidential candidates. We know that the presidential election will be held in a few more days but such a cancellation will save this nation from the crisis of humanity,” said Hendradi of the Setara Institute which jointly filed the petition.

The election commission has so far given no indication it will reassess Prabowo’s candidacy despite strong criticism by some Indonesians that it failed to screen him properly.

Hadar Nafia Gumay, a commission official, said the decision to allow Prabowo to run during next month’s elections was not illegal.

“Based on our findings, he isn’t involved in any gross practices and it is proven by a letter of good behavior issued by the police,” he said. “Certainly, we are ready to face the lawsuit. Let the court decide.”

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