A police crackdown on petty crime in the run-up to the Asian Games in Indonesia has claimed dozens of lives, Amnesty International said today, criticising what it said was an "unnecessary and excessive" campaign.
The rights group said at least 31 suspects were killed under a "shoot first and ask questions later" operation in host city Jakarta and South Sumatra in the lead-up to the world's second-biggest multi-sport event, which kicks off tomorrow.
"These shocking figures reveal a clear pattern of unnecessary and excessive use of force," said Usman Hamid, executive director of Amnesty's Indonesia office.
"The hosting of an international sporting event must not come at the price of abandoning human rights."