Bintang's lawyers face protests<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): About 100 people staged a noisy demonstration
\nyesterday at the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) in
\nprotest against the foundation's defense of a legislator accused
\nof insulting President Soeharto.<\/p>\n
The protesters, from the Jakarta Youth Communication Forum,
\nunfurled banners and chanted slogans condemning the foundation
\nfor defending legislator Sri Bintang Pamungkas.<\/p>\n
Bintang has been under police investigation for his alleged
\ninvolvement in an anti-Indonesian government demonstration in
\nGermany during President Soeharto's visit there at the beginning
\nof this month.<\/p>\n
Bintang, who belongs to the United Development Party, has been
\nquestioned by the police as a witness to the demonstration amid
\nclaims that he took part in the protest and helped to organize
\nit. Interrogation of the legislator has been temporarily
\nsuspended as police seek a sound legal basis for continuing.<\/p>\n
\"Don't try to breach national unity. We will put our lives on
\nthe line,\" one poster read. Other placards read: \"YLBHI, don't
\ndefend a traitor to the country\", \"Viva Indonesian Journalists'
\nAssociation (PWI)\" and \"Viva the Pancasila Press, remember
\nnationalism\".<\/p>\n
Hendardi, the Legal Aid Foundation's Director of Communication
\nand Special Programs, spoke to the protesters, urging them to
\nhonor the principle of the presumption of innocence.<\/p>\n
The demonstrators accused the foundation of being \"unfair\"
\nbecause it was defending someone who, they said, had discredited
\nhis country abroad.<\/p>\n
\"I tried to tell them that they should respect the presumption
\nof innocence and that, like them, we also disliked traitors. I
\nalso asked them not to mix up the concepts of nation, state and
\ngovernment,\" Hendardi told journalists later.<\/p>\n
Yesterday's protest was the third at the foundation in two
\ndays. On Tuesday two groups of demonstrators from the Jakarta
\nYouth Forum and the Association of Irian Jaya Youths and Students
\nin Jakarta staged similar protests at the foundation's offices.<\/p>\n
Yesterday's demonstration demanded that the foundation cease
\nits defense of Bintang.<\/p>\n
Hendardi said he had \"no problem\" with the protests, but
\nregretted Bintang's subjection to \"trial by the mob\" and \"trial
\nby the press.\"<\/p>\n
\"But what has really triggered these trials is a 'trial by the
\ngovernment'. Government officials were the first ones to
\ndisseminate the accusations among the public -- despite the lack
\nof evidence -- and they were the first ones to actually name
\nBintang. Even President Soeharto didn't mention a specific name,\"
\nhe said. (pwn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bintangs-lawyers-face-protests-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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