[1/4] A goalpost is seen after a riot and stampede following soccer match between Arema vs Persebaya at Kanjuruhan stadium in Malang, East Java province, Indonesia, October 2, 2022.
REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/FilesSURABAYA, Indonesia, Jan 16 (Reuters) - An Indonesian court on Monday began a trial of a handful of police officers and soccer match organisers on charges of criminal negligence for their role in one of the world's deadliest soccer stadium stampedes in Java last October.
Investigators concluded that excessive and indiscriminate use of tear gas was the main trigger behind the deadly crush.
A lawyer for the match organiser from Arema, one of the soccer clubs involved in the match, said his client denied all charges.
"If there is negligence it should be on the police, who fired the tear gas, not us," said Sudarman, the lawyer.