Judges rule to try subversion cases<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The judges trying labor leader Muchtar Pakpahan
\nand nine leaders of the Democratic People's Party (PRD) ruled
\nyesterday to continue their hearings, despite objections from
\ndefense lawyers.<\/p>\n
The 10 are charged under the 1963 antisubversion law for
\nactivities which the government says undermines it and the state
\nideology, Pancasila.<\/p>\n
They are being tried in six hearings at the Central Jakarta
\nand South Jakarta district courts.<\/p>\n
The judges rejected the appeals of the defendants' lawyers
\nthat the charges were obscure.<\/p>\n
The panels of judges trying the cases all had the same answer:
\nthe charges \"are accurate, clear and complete\".<\/p>\n
In each of the six hearings, the lawyers immediately announced
\nthat they will appeal against these decisions.<\/p>\n
Pakpahan, the 43-year-old chairman of the Indonesian
\nProsperous Labor Union, is accused of undermining the government
\nand sowing hatred through a book he wrote and a series of
\nspeeches he made in Indonesia and in Lisbon in the last two
\nyears. The book, Potret Negara Indonesia (Portrait of Indonesia),
\nis banned.<\/p>\n
Pakpahan's lawyers have said the court did not have the
\nauthority to try any one's critical thoughts.<\/p>\n
But judge M. Djazuli, who is trying Pakpahan's case,
\ndisagreed.<\/p>\n
\"What's being tried here is not his critical thoughts, but his
\nactivities. Whether or not they were subversive, the court will
\ndecide based on the hearings,\" Djazuli said.<\/p>\n
The charges against PRD chairman Budiman Sudjatmiko and eight
\nother party members relate to their activities, also dating back
\nto two years. They include organizing labor protests and public
\nspeeches critical of the government.<\/p>\n
The prosecutors cited PRD's adoption of social democratic
\nprinciples rather than the Pancasila in its statutes.<\/p>\n
Although the government officially recognizes only three
\npolitical parties, it has never outlawed the PRD.<\/p>\n
Other PRD leaders on trial are Garda Sembiring, Yakobus Eko
\nKurniawan, Ignatius Damianus Pranowo, Suroso, Petrus Hariyanto,
\nKen Budha Kusumandaru, Victor Da Costa and Ignatius Arintoko.<\/p>\n
Budiman, Sembiring, Yakobus, Pranowo and Suroso are being
\ntried at the Central Jakarta District Court. The others are being
\ntried at the South Jakarta District Court.<\/p>\n
All the trials will resume on Jan. 6, except Petrus' trial on
\nJan. 2 and Pakpahan's on Jan. 9.<\/p>\n
The antisubversion law carries a maximum penalty of death.<\/p>\n
In calling for acquittals, the defendants and their lawyers
\nhave argued that the law was enacted in 1963 by then president
\nSukarno to secure his socialist revolution and therefore was no
\nlonger relevant today.<\/p>\n
The judges dismissed this argument yesterday, saying the law
\nwas \"positive legislation\".<\/p>\n
The law has been the subject of contentious debate among the
\ncountry's legal experts. The National Commission on Human Rights
\ncalled for its repeal this year.<\/p>\n
All 10 defendants were arrested following the July 27 riots in
\nCentral Jakarta. The military blamed them for inciting the unrest
\nthrough their speeches.<\/p>\n
Their indictments however contained no such accusations. They
\nonly said that, in the case of the PRD suspects, \"they were among
\nthe crowd on July 27\".<\/p>\n
The National Commission on Human Rights said the riots left at
\nleast five people dead and 23 others missing. (08)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/judges-rule-to-try-subversion-cases-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}