Activist faces 4 years for insulting Soeharto<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The prosecution in the trial of political
\nactivist Tri Agus in the Central Jakarta District Court demanded
\nyesterday that Tri be sentenced to four year's imprisonment for
\nallegedly insulting President Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Agus is an activist with the Pijar Foundation, a non-
\ngovernment organization well-known for its outspokenness, as well
\nas editor of the foundation's hard-hitting periodical Kabar dari
\nPijar (News from Pijar).<\/p>\n
According to prosecutor Baginda Lumban Gaol, Agus has violated
\narticle 134 of the Criminal Code.<\/p>\n
Under the law, anyone convicted under that article is liable
\nto a maximum of six years' imprisonment.<\/p>\n
Baginda said it had been proved that Agus wrote an article in
\nthe foundation's periodical published in June last year under a
\nheadline quoting a remark by human rights activist Adnan Buyung
\nNasution.<\/p>\n
The accused also distributed the periodical among the public,
\nBaginda said.<\/p>\n
Mitigating factors in the case against Tri Agus, according to
\nBaginda, included the fact that Tri Agus had behaved courteously
\nduring the trial, admitted his conduct and was still young. The
\nprosecutor added that Agus had never been sentenced by a court of
\njustice before.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, he said, aggravating factors included the
\nfact that the accused was well-educated and could be expected to
\nhave known that his writing and language used could have weakened
\nthe public's trust in the government.<\/p>\n
The trial has been presided over by Justice Leo Hutagalung.<\/p>\n
Agus's defense lawyer, Bambang Widjajanto, told The Jakarta
\nPost yesterday's trial session had been adjourned for four hours
\nto enable the prosecutor to consult the high prosecutor's office.<\/p>\n
"According to Baginda, he was at the high prosecutor's office
\nuntil 2 p.m.," Bambang said.<\/p>\n
At the next sitting, which will take place on Friday next
\nweek, the defense will be presented.<\/p>\n
Agus was arrested on March 9 on the charge of violating
\narticle 154 of the Criminal Code, which forbids insulting the
\ngovernment in public. The article carries a maximum sentence of
\nseven years imprisonment. The charge was later changed to that of
\ninsulting the President, under article 134, which carries the
\nlesser maximum penalty of six years' imprisonment.<\/p>\n
Last year, another Pijar Foundation activist, Nuku Soleiman,
\nwas sentenced to four years' in jail, under the same article,
\nafter he was convicted of insulting President Soeharto during a
\ndemonstration. (01)<\/p>",
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