Pakpahan not involved in 1994 riots: Witnesses<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Witnesses testified yesterday in defense of
\nMuchtar Pakpahan, saying they received a letter calling for the
\ncancellation of a strike which the labor leader was convicted of.<\/p>\n
The four witnesses, all members of the Indonesian Prosperous
\nLabor Union (SBSI), said they received a letter several weeks
\nbefore the April 14 and April 15, 1994, Medan riots which
\nPakpahan was allegedly responsible for inciting.<\/p>\n
Eduard Marpaung, Riswan Suryana, Sumarno and Siti Maruyah
\nmaintained that Pakpahan, chairman of unrecognized SBSI, could
\nnot be guilty since the letter, from the union's central board,
\ncalled for the cancellation of all planned strikes between April
\n4 and Oct. 18, 1994.<\/p>\n
Pakpahan was found guilty in November 1994 of inciting the
\nMedan riot. The Medan District Court sentenced him to three
\nyears' imprisonment. The court rejected his appeal and increased
\nhis sentence to four years.<\/p>\n
But Pakpahan was released on Sept. 27, 1995, by a panel of
\nSupreme Court judges led by Adi Andojo Soetjipto.<\/p>\n
However, another panel led by former chief justice Soerjono
\nannulled Adi's ruling and ordered Pakpahan to complete his
\nsentence.<\/p>\n
Earlier this month the East Jakarta District Court under judge
\nTojib Matderis began a review of the verdict after Pakpahan
\nclaimed he had new evidence to support his innocence.<\/p>\n
Pakpahan has now presented all 11 witnesses to support his
\ncase.<\/p>\n
Judge Tojib Matderis told reporters that the court would now
\nsend the result of the hearing to the Medan District Court which
\nwould give an opinion on the case.<\/p>\n
\"We will not give any opinions -- Medan's court judges will do
\nthat,\" Tojib said. (05)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pakpahan-not-involved-in-1994-riots-witnesses-1447893297",
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