Permadi claims innocence, will appeal<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Controversial soothsayer Permadi Satrio Wiwoho
\nmaintained his innocence and declared his plan to appeal to
\nYogyakarta High Court ruling sentencing him to four months of
\nimprisonment for blasphemy.<\/p>\n
He told The Jakarta Post by telephone yesterday that the
\nhigher court's sentence, which is shorter than the one made by
\nthe lower Sleman District Court, has convinced him even more that
\nhe is not guilty.<\/p>\n
\"The High Court's judges should have cleared me of all
\ncharges, because all the evidence and testimony given during the
\ntrials in the district court supported my innocence,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said he believed the judges have indeed realized he was
\ninnocent, but still had to rule against his release because \"they
\nwere not free from outside pressure\". He did not elaborate.<\/p>\n
Judges at the Yogyakarta High Court sentenced Permadi to four
\nmonth of imprisonment for insulting Islam when he said at a
\nseminar at the Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta in 1994 that
\nProphet Muhammad was a dictator.<\/p>\n
The copy of the verdict was delivered to the Sleman District
\nCourt on Tuesday. The punishment meted out by the High Court was
\nthree months shorter than the term given by the District Court on
\nSept. 11, 1995.<\/p>\n
Permadi started to serve his time on April 17. He had served
\nthe jail term for five months and three days, when he was
\nreleased on Sept. 12, 1995 on the consideration of a legal
\ntechnicality.<\/p>\n
The Yogyakarta High Court's ruling of four months imprisonment
\nmeans that Permadi had been kept behind bars for a month and
\nthree days too long.<\/p>\n
Despite his intention to appeal, Permadi said yesterday he
\nwould still consult his team of lawyers beforehand.<\/p>\n
\"Whether to appeal or not, it will be their decision. I will
\naccept their decision,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said he did not care about \"the judiciary of this world\".
\n\"What's important for me is that I have asked God's forgiveness
\nfor everything that I have done and said\", he said.<\/p>\n
\"I ask God to punish me, as harshly as possible, if He feels I
\nwas guilty, and to let me go free if I'm innocent,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Appeal<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Permadi's lawyer Trimoelja D. Soerjadi said the
\nteam of lawyers would soon file an appeal to the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n
\"We have discussed the High Court's verdict and will file an
\nappeal to the Supreme Court,\" Trimoelja told the Post yesterday.<\/p>\n
Permadi's team of lawyers included Trimoelja, H.M. Dault,
\nRamdlon Naning, Tumbu Saraswati and Sri Purwani.<\/p>\n
Trimoelja said that the decision to appeal was based on the
\nlawyers' conviction of their client's innocence, and all the
\ntestimony during the trial.<\/p>\n
Trimoelja said none of the security officials, who attended
\nthe seminar and later testified against Permadi in the Sleman
\nDistrict Court, said that Permadi made blasphemous remarks during
\nthe event.<\/p>\n
The lawyer also said that Permadi could lodge a complaint
\nabout the extra jail time he had served. However, no matter how
\nmuch a settlement Permadi would receive, it would still be an
\ninadequate compensation for the time he served behind bars,
\nTrimoelja said.<\/p>\n
He said that his client would probably get Rp 1 million
\n(US$434.70), but that the lawsuit will have cost him more.(imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/permadi-claims-innocence-will-appeal-1447893297",
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