First prison sentence handed down after stadium disaster Indonesia
NOS News–
In Indonesia, a man has been sentenced to a year and a half in prison for his role in one of the deadliest stadium disasters ever. Last October, 135 fans were killed at a match in East Java. It is the first prison sentence handed down in the investigation into the disaster.
On October 2, 2022, things went completely wrong after the matches between rivals Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya. Angry supporters of Arema stormed the field after the 3-2 home defeat. Police fired tear gas grenades, after which in the panic and chaos, supporters were trampled and displaced.
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The convicted man was on the organizing committee of the home-playing club Arema FC. According to the court in Surabaya, he was responsible for selling too many tickets for the match. As a result, there were far more people in the stadium than the maximum allowed capacity. The court stated that people died because of his “negligence.”
Investigations found that the massive use of tear gas by police was the main cause of the disaster. World soccer federation FIFA banned its use at matches.
Another person from the organization will hear what his punishment is later today. Three police officers also face punishment. When those cases will serve is not yet clear.
