Police Released 45 Tear Gas Shots at Kanjuruhan, Says Human Rights Watchdog
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2 November 2022 20:37 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) representative Beka Ulung Hapsara on Wednesday presented the results of their investigation on the Kanjuruhan football disaster that saw a mass stampede kill at least 130 people in East Java. The official report found that police released 45 tear gas shots prior to the chaos that ensued.
“It is estimated that the tear gases shot within the stadium area amounted to 45,” said Beka in a press conference at the Komnas HAM headquarters on November 2, Antaranews reported.
The watchdog stated that visual recordings from sources in the location confirmed there were 27 tear gas shots while the other 18 were confirmed from the audio recording. He also said that police personnel who released the shots were from the East Java Mobile Brigade Police (Bareskrim) and the Sabhara police unit.
Expired Tear Gas
The ammunition used in dispersing crowds were 37 to 38 millimeters cartridges, he said. Flash Ball Super Pro 44 millimeters, and 38 millimeters of anti-riot AGL.
"The tear gas ammunition used was the supply from 2019 and has expired," said Beka.
Based on Komnas HAM investigations, the series of tear gas shots were carried out by personnel in the field without prior coordination with the Malang Police Chief at that time.
The Problematic Use of Tear Gas
The shooting of tear gas became the main problem in the Kanjuruhan Tragedy as FIFA itself have a set of regulation in place banning its use within stadium areas.
PSSI had admitted that they had not ratified the FIFA rules in its Match Safety and Security Regulations. PSSI General Chairperson, Mochamad Iriawan, in an interview with Tempo.
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