Lawyers monitor trials<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A team of lawyers from the International Bar
\nAssociation (IBA) and the International Commission of Jurists
\nwill arrive in Jakarta this month to observe the trials of local
\nactivists.<\/p>\n
Roger Smith, a spokesman for IBA's Human Rights Institute,
\ntold The Jakarta Post here yesterday that a different observer
\nwould be sent each week to monitor the trials in Jakarta and
\nSurabaya.<\/p>\n
\"At least one Supreme court judge from Australia, John Dowd,
\nwill be coming out as will the president of IBA,\" Smith said.<\/p>\n
Subversion charges have been slapped on nine activists of the
\nobscure Democratic People's Party and leader of the unrecognized
\nProsperous Labor Union Muchtar Pakpahan in Jakarta. In Surabaya,
\nthree activists are also standing trial on the same charges.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors have charged them with intending to replace the
\nstate ideology Pancasila and topple the legitimate government.<\/p>\n
Under the Indonesian legal system, subversion is one of the
\nmost serious offenses, carrying a maximum penalty of death if the
\ndefendant is found guilty.<\/p>\n
In its Oct. 23 conference in Berlin, the Human Rights
\nInstitute expressed deep concern over the use of the subversion
\nlaw against peaceful pro-democracy and labor activists in
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
Smith said the Human Rights Institute was seriously concerned
\nthe suspects would not receive a fair trial \"given the current
\npolitical atmosphere.\" (pan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/lawyers-monitor-trials-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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