The second hearing in the trial began around 10 a.m. Wednesday, with dozens of students and activists gathering outside the courtroom in Palu, Central Sulawesi, to call for the release of the suspect, who was identified only as A.A.L.
Meanwhile, protesters continued dropping off their used flip-flops at the offices of the National Commission for Child Protection, a public agency that organized the collection, as well as at police stations and prosecutors’ offices.
The sandal campaign has grabbed headlines and become a favorite topic on social networking sites since it began Dec. 29. Organizers said the initial aim was to collect 1,000 pairs of sandals in mock protest of the officer who made the allegations, but by Wednesday more than 1,200 pairs of shoes had been collected.
Muhammad Ikhsan, the secretary at the National Commission for Child Protection, said the protest was an effort to improve the legal process so that children are not made into criminals in other cases of petty crime.
He said the agency planned to deliver the sandals to the officer, adding that if the officer felt wronged by having his shoes taken, the public would provide him with more in return.
The boy is accused of taking the officer’s shoes from outside a police boarding house in Palu as he walked home from school with friends in November 2010. Six months later, Sgt. Ahmad Rusdi Harahap accused the boy of theft, and the boy was interrogated and badly beaten, said Mr. Ikhsan, who has been documenting the case. He said the boy’s parents filed a complaint after discovering bruises on the boy’s body. The officer’s suit followed the complaint.
Mr. Harahap, a member of the Central Sulawesi Police Mobile Brigade, could face disciplinary action following a police tribunal, said a National Police spokesman, Inspector General Saud Nasution. And Brigadier Jhon Samson, accused of having a role in the beating, has been prevented from seeking a promotion for a year.
Mr. Nasution said the police had handled the case according to the correct procedures. He said the National Police had encouraged the local police to look into the allegation of mistreatment.
But activists say the public indignation at the case is a sign that people are fed up with abuses of power by the police.
“This is another example of police un-professionalism,” said Indria Fernida, a deputy coordinator with the human rights group Kontras. She said that too often the police and prosecutors focus on petty crimes while avoiding cases that involve people with power and authority.
If the boy is found guilty in the stolen sandal case, he could face up to five years in prison — a greater sentence than that meted out in the past to convicted terrorists and major corruption convicts.
Protest organizers say law enforcement officers should focus on reform rather than jail for cases involving children. For children who engage in acts of wrongdoing the most important thing is to obtain “restorative justice,” said Mr. Ikhsan, referring to the need for guidance and a change of mind-set so that children do not have to go to jail.
Mr. Nasution said the police had nothing to hide. “The police here are open, meaning we’re accountable and transparent and should be trusted,” he said, adding that they would investigate those who had acted without professionalism if evidence of misconduct is raised during the trial.