Controversial author acquitted of all charges<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The South Jakarta District Court acquitted on
\nTuesday the controversial author Wimanjaya K. Liotohe, who had
\nbeen charged with insulting then president Soeharto with his book
\nPrima Dosa (Prime Sins) published in late 1993.<\/p>\n
The verdict, read by presiding judge Muchtar Ritonga, was in
\naccordance with the prosecutor's earlier request to free the
\ndefendant of all charges. The prosecutor's stance was based on
\nthe fact that the Attorney General's Office had revoked its ban
\non the book's circulation in 1998.<\/p>\n
\"... there are no legal grounds for continuing with the case,\"
\nRitonga said, adding that the books were published when there was
\nno freedom of expression under former president Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Soeharto had publicly announced that the book was a personal
\naffront to him as it suggested that he masterminded the coup
\nattempt against president Sukarno in 1965. The Attorney General's
\nOffice officially banned the book on Jan. 25, 1994, two days
\nafter the announcement.<\/p>\n
Former Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) chairman, the late
\nHasan Basri, said that the book insulted not only Soeharto, but
\nthe Muslim community as well. He called on the government to try
\nthe 67-year-old evangelist author and not let him off because of
\nhis reported mental problems.<\/p>\n
Wimanjaya's two other books Prima Duka (Prime Sorrows) and
\nPrima Dusta (Prime Lies), were also banned in November 1997. The
\nban was later revoked.<\/p>\n
\"Prima Dosa describes all the sins Soeharto had committed as
\npresident. Prima Dusta recounts all Soeharto's lies about the
\norder issued by former president Sukarno and known as supersemar
\nwhich is said to have given authority to Soeharto to take over
\nleadership of the state on Mar. 11, 1966, while Prima Duka
\ndescribes the nationwide murders committed by Soeharto through
\nhis military forces after the alleged 1965 coup attempt,\"
\nWimanjaya told the Post after the hearing.<\/p>\n
In Jan. 1998, Wimanjaya, who hails from Sangir Talaud, North
\nSulawesi, went on trial for allegedly insulting then president
\nSoeharto. The charges carry a maximum punishment of six years in
\njail.<\/p>\n
A month after President Soeharto's downfall in May, 1998, the
\ncourt put the case on hold without issuing any ruling. It was not
\nuntil earlier this month that the trial was reopened with
\nprosecutor Yudi Sutoto's requesting that the court set aside the
\nindictment against the defendant.<\/p>\n
\"I am happy with the verdict, which reflects that there is now
\nlegal certainty in the country,\" Wimanjaya said. (01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/controversial-author-acquitted-of-all-charges-1447893297",
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