Amien Rais asks police to release arrested students

"The students demonstrated on behalf of the common people. Therefore, the police had better immediately release the students they have arrested so there will be no misunderstanding and no stiffening of the people`s resistance," Rais said here Thursday.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a PAN (National Mandate Party) working conference, the former reform leader said as long as the students did not throw stones at shops, damage other people`s property, torched buildings or violated human rights, "they must be given maximum freedom."

Intimidation like in the past!

"If we begin arresting them and applying the policy of intimidation, our democracy will sooner or later regress to what it was in the past," he said.

Rais said accusations that students were serving as a tool of third parties were completely unfounded because the students were defending the people`s interests.

When there were protests against ...