Prosecution seeks two years for 'Tempo' chief editor<\/p>\n
Leony Aurora, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Prosecutors requested on Monday that Tempo chief editor Bambang
\nHarymurti be sentenced to two years in jail for provoking social
\nunrest and defaming businessman Tomy Winata.<\/p>\n
They also requested that Bambang be taken into custody
\nimmediately after his conviction.<\/p>\n
In a hearing at the Central Jakarta District Court, prosecutor
\nBastian Hutabarat said the disputed article Is Tomy in Tenabang?,
\npublished last year, contained false information, yet Bambang
\napproved its publication without reconfirming facts.<\/p>\n
As chief editor, he must have anticipated that the article
\nwould cause a stir, said the prosecutors.<\/p>\n
The article suggested that business tycoon Tomy was behind the
\nFebruary 2003 fire that razed Tanah Abang textile market, Central
\nJakarta, by presenting Tomy's proposal to renovate the market in
\nan insinuating context. Tomy had submitted the proposal a few
\nmonths before the incident.<\/p>\n
Bambang and two other journalists of the weekly have been
\ncharged under Article 14 of the Criminal Code on spreading false
\ninformation and knowingly provoking social disorder, which
\ncarries a maximum sentence of 10 years. They have also been
\ncharged under Articles 310 and 311 on defamation, which carries a
\nmaximum sentence of four years.<\/p>\n
\"(The article) was false, as Tomy Winata never submitted any
\nproposal to renovate Tanah Abang market,\" said a prosecutor,
\nciting the testimonies of Tomy and Central Jakarta Mayor Hosea
\nPetra Lumbun.<\/p>\n
The article quoted Tomy denying the existence of such a
\nproposal. Tempo journalist Ahmad Taufik, who wrote the article,
\nsaid he saw the proposal, but was unable to reproduce it.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Tomy testified that he had never been interviewed
\nby Tempo.<\/p>\n
In response to the prosecution's charges, Tempo lawyer Todung
\nMulya Lubis said that in journalism, there was no absolute truth.<\/p>\n
\"As long as the news covers both sides and concerns the public
\ninterest, it can be published,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors presented Tanah Abang traders who became angry at
\nTomy after reading the article as proof of public unrest.<\/p>\n
Other evidence included a demonstration held by employees of
\nArtha Graha -- Tomy's bank -- at Tempo offices and a summons
\nissued to Tomy by the House of Representatives over the matter.<\/p>\n
Bambang alleged the evidence was \"forced\", and reminded the
\ncourt that the freedom of press was being threatened.<\/p>\n
\"Next time a man in power dislikes your reports about him and
\nsends men to attack your offices and cause unrest, (remember) you
\ntoo can be charged with spreading news that provokes social
\ndisorder,\" he told reporters after the four-hour hearing.<\/p>\n
Tempo lawyers asked for a month to prepare their defense,
\nconsidering the importance of the case.<\/p>\n
The court awarded them three weeks and scheduled the next
\nsession for Aug. 9.<\/p>\n
On July 26, the same court will hear the case of Ahmad Taufik
\nand Teuku Iskandar Ali, who are charged under the same articles
\nas Bambang, to hear the prosecution's sentencing request.<\/p>",
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