Activists refute charges<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Ten activists standing trial on charges of
\nsubversion pledged their innocence yesterday, describing the
\ncharges as a government attempt to silence its critics.<\/p>\n
In separate sessions that drew large, enthusiastic crowds,
\nthey said the charges were barely related to the allegations made
\nby police, when they were arrested, that they incited the July 27
\nriots.<\/p>\n
Independent labor union leader Muchtar Pakpahan and nine
\ndefendants from the banned People's Democratic Party (PRD) were
\npresenting their defense before the courts.<\/p>\n
Adnan Buyung Nasution, who led Pakpahan's defense team, told
\nthe South Jakarta District Court the charges were groundless
\nbecause what Pakpahan had done was simply raise the issue of
\nsocio-economic disparity, which is academically acceptable.<\/p>\n
\"It is normal for a man with a doctoral degree like Pakpahan
\nto comprehend these issues -- which have in fact been widely
\ndiscussed in many academic fora and by analysts in the mass
\nmedia,\" Buyung said.<\/p>\n
\"What is going on now is a trial of thought. From any judicial
\npoint of view, it is impossible to use legal principles to try
\nsomebody's thoughts,\" Buyung told the court presided over by
\njudge M. Djazuli.<\/p>\n
Buyung also said the court did not have the competence to
\narraign Pakpahan for his ideas. \"The appropriate place for
\ndebates on this issue is the People's Consultative Assembly, not
\nthe court\" he said.<\/p>\n
Pakpahan's lawyers said there were strong indications the
\ngovernment intended to clamp down on labor movements in the
\ncountry as demonstrated by the indictment which targeted Pakpahan
\nas the leader of the unrecognized Indonesian Prosperous Labor
\nUnion (SBSI), not as an individual.<\/p>\n
Touching on the 1963 subversion law resorted to by the
\nprosecutor to nab Pakpahan, Buyung said the law contradicted the
\ncountry's principle of people's sovereignty and was outdated.<\/p>\n
Prosecutor Moekiat said last week the 43-year-old Pakpahan had
\nsown hatred against the government in a book he wrote and in
\nother statements made between August 1995 and July 27, 1996.<\/p>\n
The indictment said subversive remarks were also made during a
\nspeech at Oporto University in Portugal last February and during
\nan interview at his home with Dutch television NOVA in July this
\nyear.<\/p>\n
Pakpahan and the PRD activists were arrested for allegedly
\ninciting the July 27 riots which followed a forced takeover of
\nthe Indonesian Democratic Party's headquarters. The riots left at
\nleast five people dead and 23 missing.<\/p>\n
The South Jakarta District Court also heard the rebuttals of
\nPRD activists, Petrus Hariyanto, Ken Budha Kusumandaru, Victor da
\nCosta and Ignatius Putut Arintoko.<\/p>\n
Security was light during the court sessions in South Jakarta,
\nbut visitors were required to sign a guest book. All but one of
\nthe defendants' families, and some prominent government critics,
\nincluding H.J.C. Princen, were present.<\/p>\n
Scapegoat<\/p>\n
Related hearings on PRD leader Budiman Sudjatmiko, Garda
\nSembiring, Suroso, Ignatius Pranowo and Yakobus Eko Kurniawan
\nproceeded at the Central Jakarta District Court yesterday.<\/p>\n
Budiman told the court the charges were an attempt by the
\nauthorities to find a scapegoat for the bloody July riots.<\/p>\n
\"Troubled water will turn turgid, especially if it is stirred
\nby somebody who wants to clean his or her dirty hands,\" Budiman
\ntold the court.<\/p>\n
Budiman, Garda Sembiring, Suroso, Ignatius Pranowo and Yakobus
\nEko Kurniawan were sent to court accused of trying to replace the
\nstate ideology Pancasila, an offense which carries a maximum
\npenalty of death if convicted, with social democracy.<\/p>\n
Budiman's team of five defense lawyers told the court the
\ntrial had nothing to do with the reasons given for the arrest of
\nthe activists. They also said the arrests had violated Criminal
\nCode Procedures because they took place without an arrest
\nwarrant.<\/p>\n
\"The prosecutor's indictment is unclear, inaccurate and
\nincomplete because it does not mention the arrest allegations
\nthat Budiman and his PRD company incited the July 27 riots,\"
\nLuhut Pangaribuan, one of the lawyers, said.<\/p>\n
Prosecutor Mohammad Salim read a list of Budiman and his
\nfellow activists' alleged sins which ranged from inciting labor
\ndemonstrations, organizing open speeches criticizing the
\ngovernment to setting up a party. Salim related their involvement
\nin the riots to the fact that \"they were among crowd on July 27.\"<\/p>\n
\"The defendants committed no crime because their activities
\nare guaranteed by the Constitution,\" Pangaribuan said.<\/p>\n
Crowds who packed the courtroom cheered and applauded the
\nlawyers during the hearing, only to receive a warning from judge
\nSyoffinan Sumantri.<\/p>\n
The trials will resume Monday with the prosecutors' replies to
\nthe rebuttals. (08\/amd)<\/p>\n
Protest -- Page 2<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/activists-refute-charges-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }