Legislators query detention of Megawati's supporters<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives questioned Tuesday
\nalleged arrest procedure violations of supporters of ousted
\nIndonesian Democratic Party (PDI) chief Megawati Soekarnoputri,
\nweeks after they were already freed from jail.<\/p>\n
Legislators from House Commission III for legal affairs held a
\nmeeting with chief of the Central Jakarta Prosecution Office
\nBasrief Arief, and asked him why the PDI activists had been
\ndetained in ways which violate the law.<\/p>\n
The legislators said the activists had been sentenced to less
\nthan five years in jail. Most of them were given sentences which
\nequaled their detention periods, so that they became free as soon
\nas the verdict was handed down.<\/p>\n
\"They shouldn't have been detained before the case was heard
\nin court,\" one of the legislators said.<\/p>\n
Last month, 124 supporters of Megawati Soekarnoputri were
\njailed by the court to between one month and four months
\nimprisonment for their role in a riot in July.<\/p>\n
This is against the Procedures of the Criminal Law, which
\nstipulates that only those who face a possible jail term of more
\nthan five years can be detained, said Handjojo Putro, a
\nlegislator of the PDI faction.<\/p>\n
Basrief, however, said the PDI activists were charged under
\nmore than one section of the Criminal Code and were detained
\nunder Section 170, which carries a maximum five years and six
\nmonths in jail.<\/p>\n
\"But,\" he said, \"the charge was not proven in court because
\nsome witnesses changed their minds during the court hearings.\"<\/p>\n
Their testimony was very different from earlier statements
\nthey made before the police interrogators, Basrief said.<\/p>\n
\"The defendants were only proven guilty of violating Section
\n218 of the Criminal Code, which carries a more lenient sentence,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
The supporters of Megawati were arrested at the party's
\nheadquarters during the July 27 riot, which was provoked by a
\nforcible takeover of the building by supporters of Soerjadi, the
\nnew party chairman chosen in a government-backed congress in
\nJune.<\/p>\n
The legislators also questioned why so many witnesses had
\nwithdrawn their statements made to police interrogators.<\/p>\n
\"Was that because police officers used coercion to extract
\nconfessions?\" asked another House member.<\/p>\n
The legislators also asked how often such reversals had taken
\nplace.<\/p>\n
Basrief said that the trend was less than 10 percent of all
\nthe cases sent to court.<\/p>\n
\"Of course there was psychological pressure. It is quite
\nnatural because when a person is summoned by the police he or she
\nusually has feelings of being pressured,\" he said.<\/p>\n
During the meeting, the House members also asked how
\nsuccessful the prosecution has been in hunting for the assets of
\nEddy Tansil, a businessman jailed for 20 years for swindling Rp
\n1.3 trillions (US$5.4 billion) of state-owned Bank Pembangunan
\nIndonesia. With the help of prison officers, Tansil managed to
\nescape from Cipinang jail in May. (05)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/legislators-query-detention-of-megawatis-supporters-1447893297",
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