Aceh defendant wants Gus Dur to testify<\/p>\n
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): A defendant charged with spreading
\nantistate propaganda demanded on Tuesday that the Banda Aceh
\nDistrict Court call President Abdurrahman Wahid as a witness in
\nthe trial over his alleged role in organizing a mass rally
\ncalling for an independence referendum last August.<\/p>\n
Muhammad Nazar, the detained chief of the Aceh Referendum
\nInformation Center (SIRA), had earlier objected to the calling of
\nthree police officers as witnesses in the case.<\/p>\n
\"The three police officers are not government representatives.
\nThe one who should be called as a witness is the President
\nhimself,\" said Nazar, who appeared in court wearing a cap and a
\nT-shirt emblazoned with the word \"referendum\".<\/p>\n
The trial was marred by Nazar's being removed from the
\ncourtroom after protesting against the presence of the three
\npolice witnesses.<\/p>\n
Presiding judge Farida Hanoum, however, rejected Nazar's
\ndemand.<\/p>\n
\"In respect of charges of spreading antistate propaganda,
\neveryone has the right to act as a witness and give testimony,\"
\nFarida said as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
She added that the police witnesses were directly involved in
\nthe case while the President was not.<\/p>\n
The trial continued despite Nazar's protest.<\/p>\n
As with the two previous sessions, Tuesday's hearing was held
\nunder tight security.<\/p>\n
Brig. Maimun, Brig. T Khairul Waddin and Brig. Khairul
\ntestified before the court on the seized banners being used as
\nevidence in the case.<\/p>\n
The banners, which Nazar allegedly distributed on Aug. 17,
\nIndonesia's independence day, bore slogans such as \"Aceh remains
\nwithin the Republic of Indonesia, or becomes Free\" and \"We are
\nnot Indonesians.\"<\/p>\n
\"We confiscated the banners from the Simpang Lima traffic
\ncircle during the rally demanding a referendum last year,\" one of
\nthe officers said.<\/p>\n
The court also heard testimony from an expert witness,
\nlinguist Abdul Djunaidi from Banda Aceh's Syah Kuala University,
\nregarding the language used in the slogans and its
\ninterpretation.<\/p>\n
Nazar is being charged under Articles 154 and 155 of the
\nCriminal Code on antistate propaganda, which carry a maximum
\npenalty of seven years in jail.<\/p>\n
Nazar was arrested on Nov. 20, 2000 after organizing a mass
\nrally in the region in August calling for an independence
\nreferendum for the province.<\/p>\n
\"We had to protest as the prosecution failed to present proper
\nwitnesses,\" defense counsel Johnson Panjaitan said.<\/p>\n
The hearing ended around 1 p.m. and judge Farida adjourned the
\ntrial until Wednesday when the testimony of other witnesses will
\nbe heard. (edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aceh-defendant-wants-gus-dur-to-testify-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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