Kivlan Zen is in Batam, says his lawyer

"It is not true that our client has travelled to Singapore or Brunei or has been arrested or named a suspect. The truth is that Kivlan Zen is now in Batam to meet his relatives."

Former chief of the Army's Strategic Reserve Command Major General (ret) Kivlan Zen who has been banned from travelling abroad on treason charges is now in Batam, Riau Islands Province, along with his family, his lawyer said

"It is not true that our client has travelled to Singapore or Brunei or has been arrested or named a suspect. The truth is that Kivlan Zen is now in Batam to meet his relatives," Kivlan Zen's lawyer, Pitra Romadhoni, said.

Romadhoni also denied a report that Kivlan Zen was arrested at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, west of Jakarta, on Friday (May 10).

On Friday (May 10), Chief of the Public Information of the Public Relations Division of the Indonesian Police Headquarters Senior Commissioner Asep Adi Saputra said Kivlan Zen had received a summons to undergo questioning on charges of treason on Monday (May 13).

Kivlan Zen was supposed to travel to Brunei via Batam.

"He has been banned from travelling abroad. He was supposed to travel to Brunei via Batam. I don't know where he is now," Asep said.

Deputy Chairman of the Greater Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party Arief Puyouno has expressed regret over the police's decision to impose an overseas travel ban on Kivlan Zen.

"It is not necessary to ban him from travelling abroad just because he criticized the performance of the General Elections Commission (KPU) in implementing the 2019 general elections. Why is it considered treason?" Puyouno asked in Jakarta on Saturday.

He said treason is an act that may topple the legitimate government through a political or military movement.

"I am confused over why the police used treason against the Indonesian society movement led by Kivlan Zen to protest against the performance of KPU and Bawaslu (the election supervisory board)," he said.

 

EDITED BY INE