TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) is ready to protect journalists who become victims of violence. Several reporters were assaulted when covering a protest against the construction of the Baturaden Geothermal Power Plant (PLTPB) in Purwokerto, Banyumas, Central Java, a few days ago.
"We are trying to establish communication with the journalists who were assaulted in Banyumas," LPSK chairman Abdul Haris Semendawai said in Jakarta, Wednesday, Oct. 11.
Read: Police Investigates Violence Against Journalists
Four journalists from Suara Merdeka, Satelitpost, Radar Banyumas and Metro TV were covering the forced dispersion of the protest, which took place in front of the Banyumas Regent's office on Monday night, October 9.
During the violent disbandment, Metro TV journalist Darbe Tyas was hit and beaten by a number of Banyumas Police officers and Satpol PP Pemkab Banyumas.
A number of officers of the police and Satpol PP also forced and tried to seize the journalists' equipment, including their mobile phones and cameras.
Before these four journalists arrived at the scene, a photographer from Suara Merdeka also had his equipment seized despite telling the officers that he was from the media.
ANTARA