Six people, including police officers and organisers, are facing criminal charges over a football stadium crush that killed at least 131 people, Indonesia's police chief said.
They will be charged with criminal negligence causing death, which carries a maximum sentence of five years.
The disaster happened last week when police fired tear gas at fans who invaded the pitch after a defeat.
Hundreds tired to flee through the exits, which caused a deadly stampede.
The incident has led to public anger, with much of it directed at the police and their use of tear gas. The local police chief in Malang, where the incident took place, was fired and nine others officers were suspended.
Those now facing charges include three police officers who had tear gassed fans, the head of the home club Arema FC's organising committee and one of the club's security officers.
Two of the police officers had ordered their colleagues to fire tear gas, national police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo told local media. The third knew about FIFA's safety regulations that prohibit the use of tear gas at matches but did not prevent it from being used, he added.
Authorities have said that some 2,000 officers – including several police units and soldiers – were at the stadium that night.
Videos from the incident, which took place on Saturday night in East Java, showed Arema FC fans running on to the pitch after the final whistle marked the home team's 2-3 defeat, and police firing tear gas in response.
More than 320 other people were injured as supporters were trampled on and suffocated in crushes as they fled the gas. Indonesia's deputy minister of children and women affairs said the victims included children between three and 17 years.
Footage online showed fans clambering over fences to escape. Separate videos appeared to show lifeless bodies on the floor.
"We [saw] these different police forces running around the pitch, brutally kicking people, hitting people. This is completely unacceptable behaviour," Jacqui Baker, a policing expert, told the BBC after the incident.
But police said the club's officials had not complied with safety requirements, allowing in a larger crowd than the stadium could handle. They added that the exits were too narrow for people to pass through.
The stampede is one of the worst stadium disasters ever. In the UK, 97 Liverpool fans died in a crush at the Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield in 1989. They were attending the club's FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.
Tears for teens crushed in deadly football tragedy
Fans 'died in the arms' of players in stadium crush
Putin accuses Ukraine of Crimea bridge 'terrorism'
'Russian attack' on city claimed by Moscow kills 13
Girl, 5, and dad among 10 killed in Donegal blast
Who – or what – blew up the Crimean bridge?
SNP conference: A calm event amid stormy times
Creeslough spirit shines amid darkness of tragedy
Tragic boxing star's story told in forgotten photos
Six tips for cutting home energy bills this winter
Twenty-four children died, one lived: 'She had no idea'
Wildlife abandons 'Europe's Amazon' nature reserve
Pavement on their reunion: 'We're like an uncaged tiger'
Excitement and fear in Ukraine after bridge blast
It's a world full of glitz and glamour
Catch up on the brand new series of Dubai Hustle
The student who handed out free cash
Mobeen Azhar investigates why Gurvin Singh was giving money to strangers
One fateful mistake changed everything
They wanted a flat in Glasgow but ended up with a crumbling eyesore 35 miles away…
Dark secrets in the seductive world of influencers
Can aspiring musician Sasha find her own way in life?
Fancy a film tonight? Video
Ukraine's counter-offensive explained. Video
From death row to a quaint village. Video
How two farm boys changed the world. Video
© 2022 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.
Indonesia football disaster: Six face criminal charges over stadium crush – bbc.co.uk

Leave a comment