Permadi gets seven months for blasphemy<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): The Sleman district court sentenced
\ncontroversial soothsayer Permadi Satrio Wiwoho to seven months
\njail yesterday after convicting him of blasphemy for describing
\nProphet Muhammad as a "dictator" during a seminar here last year.<\/p>\n
The council of judges said in delivering its verdict that
\nPermadi had sown enmity and hatred towards Islam in the comments
\nhe made at a seminar at Gadjah Mada University on April 28, 1994.<\/p>\n
"Permadi was guilty of denigrating Islam, by deliberately
\ndescribing Prophet Muhammad as a dictator," Presiding Judge Ismed
\nIlahoede said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, some 3,000 supporters of Permadi demonstrated
\noutside the court.<\/p>\n
"Long live Permadi! If Permadi has to face trial, why is
\nsomeone who has committed a similar offense spared?" one
\nprotester shouted.<\/p>\n
Yesterday's eight-and-half hour court session was also
\nattended by several government critics, including former Jakarta
\ngovernor Ali Sadikin and Mulyana W. Kusumah of the Indonesian
\nLegal Aid Foundation.<\/p>\n
Judge Ismed said that Permadi's remarks could, without any
\ndoubt, ruin national unity because they could undermine
\nharmonious co-existence.<\/p>\n
"The word 'dictator' has a negative connotation. Islamic
\ngovernment under Prophet Muhammad cannot be likened to modern
\npolitical systems, even though Permadi meant to praise the
\nProphet as a good dictator," he said.<\/p>\n
He said that Permadi had insulted Islam by saying, during the
\nseminar, that Prophet Muhammad's seventh century Islamic
\ngovernment had failed to establish a just and prosperous society
\nbecause it was continuously involved in wars and killings.<\/p>\n
Ismed added that Permadi had not tried to use other, more
\nneutral terms in describing the Islamic government.<\/p>\n
"Permadi spontaneously called Prophet Muhammad a dictator,
\nwithout realizing that it hurt Moslems' feelings," he said.<\/p>\n
He said the evidence was sufficient to support a conviction
\nunder article 156a of the Criminal Code. The article states that
\nanyone who publicly sows enmity and hatred towards a certain
\ngroup, including a religious community, is liable to a maximum of
\nfive year's imprisonment.<\/p>\n
The court's decision was five months shorter than the term
\ndemanded by Chief Prosecutor Dony Kadnezar, who earlier demanded
\nthe court sentence Permadi to one year's imprisonment.<\/p>\n
Dony said he would appeal.<\/p>\n
Ramdlon Naning, one of Permadi's lawyers, said the court
\nshould release his client tomorrow.<\/p>\n
According to criminal code procedures, an accused or a convict
\ncan only be detained for a total of 90 days.<\/p>\n
"If there is no warrant to extend the court's custody over
\nPermadi, the court has to release him tomorrow because the
\ncourt's custody period will end tomorrow," Ramdlon told The
\nJakarta Post by phone last night.<\/p>\n
He said Permadi would also appeal.<\/p>\n
After the sentencing, Permadi said he was disappointed by the
\nverdict, which he described as "unfair".<\/p>\n
He said the council of judges had ignored the fact that all
\nbut one of the witnesses called, which numbered more than a
\ndozen, had testified in his favor.<\/p>\n
"Almost all of the witnesses said they believed that my
\nstatement at the seminar was wholly well-intentioned," he said.<\/p>\n
A Supreme Court decree requires that the High Court hear
\nappeals within six months of lodgement. (02\/imn)<\/p>",
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