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A6 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 26 July 2023
Indonesian police crack down on traffickers who sent 122 people

to sell their kidneys in Cambodia

By NINIEK KARMINI only with the initial M., al-
Associated Press legedly received 612 million
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) rupiah ($40,000) for helping
— Indonesian police are in- the traffickers move from
vestigating the illegal trade place to place to avoid po-
of human organs involving lice investigation, and he is
police and immigration of- also accused of obstruct-
ficers who were accused of ing the investigation. Under
helping traffickers send 122 the 2007 Human Trafficking
Indonesians to a hospital in Law, the two officers face
Cambodia to sell their kid- penalties of up to five years
neys, police said Tuesday. in prison if found guilty.
Indonesian authorities ar- Police paraded the 12 sus-
rested 12 people, includ- pects at a news confer-
ing a police officer and an ence on July 20.
immigration officer, on July “There have been kidney
19, and police will continue trafficking transactions at
to crack down on human the Cambodia’s state-run
smuggling syndicates con- Preah Ket Mealea Hospi-
ducting the illegal trade of tal,” said Krishna Murti, the
human organs, said Hengki National Police head of
Haryadi, the Jakarta police international relations divi-
director for general crimes. Indonesian police officers escort suspects and display the items of evidence during a press sion. “We have been com-
He said all 122 victims, in- conference at Jakarta police headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, July 20, 2023. municating and closely co-
Associated Press
cluding factory workers, operating with the Cambo-
teachers and executives, Nine of the suspects were human organs since 2019 from Bali was accused of dian police.”
had returned to Indone- former organ trade victims by the group of suspects abusing his power and falsi- The World Health Organi-
sia, and police were still who were accused of lur- totaled about 24.4 billion fying documents for victims zation first prohibited pay-
searching a number of oth- ing people from across rupiah ($1.6 million), while to travel overseas and re- ments for organs in 1987
er victims whose testimony Indonesia through social each victim was promised ceived at least 3 million ru- and many countries sub-
would be required by in- media into having their 135 million rupiah ($9,000) . piah ($200) for each person sequently codified the pro-
vestigators. kidneys removed in Cam- A low-ranking police officer he smuggled to Cambodia. hibition into their national
“Most of the victims lost bodia, Haryadi said. A 10th in Bekasi, an immigration The suspects were charged laws.
their jobs during the pan- suspect was accused of officer in Bali and 10 traf- with violating Indonesia’s WHO estimated in 2008
demic and they agreed to sending them to Preah Ket fickers, three of whom were human trafficking law and that 5% of all transplants
sell their organs because Mealea Hospital in Cam- arrested in Cambodia, are face a maximum 15 years performed worldwide were
they needed money,” bodia’s capital, Phnom part of a human trafficking in prison and a fine of up to illegal, and living donor kid-
Haryadi said, adding that Penh, for kidney transplant ring that prey on vulnerable 600 million rupiah ($39,000). neys is the most commonly
six of the victims are still un- surgery. He said the turn- job seekers, Haryadi said. The police officer from reported form of organ
der observation of doctors. over of the illegal trade in The immigration officer Bekasi city police, identified trade. q

Opposition in Kenya gathers evidence of ‘police atrocities’

against protesters to take to the ICC

By EVELYNE MUSAMBI NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — nya said on Tuesday they testers were admitted to tions have spread across
Associated Press Opposition parties in Ke- are filing charges against hospital with bullet-related Kenya with people calling
the government for “police injuries. out President William Ruto’s
atrocities” that left 30 peo- Police have been accused administration over the ris-
ple dead at the Interna- of shooting at protesters ing cost of living and newly
tional Criminal Court in the using live bullets in areas imposed taxes that have
wake of protests against where the opposition en- caused a fuel price hike as
the rising cost of living and joys wide political support. tax on petroleum products
the levying of new taxes. Interior Minister Kithure Kin- doubled from 8% to 16%
Opposition coalition lead- diki dismissed in a state- Odinga said protests would
er Raila Odinga called for ment the opposition’s continue but he did not
a press conference in the claims as “malicious, false give a date when the next
capital, Nairobi, announc- and intended to distort wave of protests would
ing that his party was “as- public opinion,” saying po- start.
sembling more evidence” lice forces have remained The opposition had called
of police brutality against “neutral, impartial and pro- for protests on Wednes-
protesters. He also said they fessional”. day, but later urged its sup-
were gathering evidence The ministry said one of- porters to instead hold a
to prove “the targeting of ficer died and more than peaceful vigil to remember
Kenya’s opposition leader Raila Odinga speaks during a press people” from his “Luo eth- 300 others were injured 50 people it said have died
briefing with journalists in Nairobi, Kenya, Tuesday, 25, July, 2023. nic community” living in in the protests. In the last in demonstrations over the
Associated Press
western Kenya, where pro- three weeks, demonstra- past weeks.q