Officials sentenced to prison in deadly stampede at Indonesian football stadium

An Indonesian court on Thursday jailed two football match officials for negligence in October's stampede that killed 135 people, in one of the worst stadium disasters in sports history. The stampede in the eastern Java city of Malang killed 135 people, including more than 40 children, after police fired tear gas into crowded stands when fans stormed the stadium.

Hundreds of people fled to narrow exits, leading to a stampede that left many run over or suffocated to death. Abdul Haris, one of the match officials, was convicted of negligence and sentenced to 18 months in prison. Prosecutors had asked for a sentence of six years and eight months. Court President Abu Ahmad Sidqi told the court in Surabaya: "I sentence the accused to one and a half years in prison." The judges also found security official Soko Sutrisno guilty of negligence and sentenced him to one year in prison. "The defendant did not pre-empt the chaos because there was no emergency before. He also didn't understand his job as a security official."

Both men have seven days to appeal. Three local police officers have also been charged in connection with the incident and are awaiting verdicts. The former director of the company that runs the Indonesian Premier League has been named a suspect and remains under investigation by police. Police described the storming of the stadium on Oct. 2 as a riot and said two officers were killed, but survivors accused police of using excessive force. Arima FC fans entered Malang's Kangurohan Stadium after their team lost 3-<> to Persebaya Surabaya. It was the first time in more than twenty years that their team had lost to its rival.

Indonesian National Police sacked its local chiefs in the city of Malang and East Java province after the tragedy. The government also suspended all competitive football matches but league matches resumed last month without fans. Indonesian President Joko Widodo ordered an investigation, demolition and reconstruction of Kanjurohan Stadium in accordance with FIFA standards.