Prosecution witnesses vindicate defendants<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Prosecution witnesses in the subversion trials
\nagainst labor leader Muchtar Pakpahan and nine activists of the
\nDemocratic People's Party gave favorable testimonies yesterday.<\/p>\n
Judge Djadzuli who presided over Pakpahan's trial at the South
\nJakarta District Court began the session with questions aimed at
\nlinking the charges of undermining the government to the speeches
\nand leaflets Pakpahan allegedly gave and helped produce between
\nJune and July 1996.<\/p>\n
Djazuli first asked prosecutor Moekiat how the prosecution was
\ngoing to prove its indictment of Pakpahan by presenting Ridwan;
\nthis line of questioning was later protested by the defense
\nlawyers led by Adnan Buyung Nasution.<\/p>\n
Moekiat said Ridwan, also the chairman of the unrecognized
\nIndonesian People's Council, knew of Pakpahan's activities
\nbetween June and July in Jakarta when he allegedly made several
\nincriminating statements and insulted President Soeharto.<\/p>\n
However, when Djadzuli questioned Ridwan about whether he
\ncould tell the court if such \"rumors, offending, or abnormal
\nstatements...or those that caused stress\" were made by the
\ndefendant, Ridwan said: \"No.\"<\/p>\n
Ridwan said he had never heard Pakpahan making the statements
\nthe judge alluded to.<\/p>\n
One of Pakpahan's lawyers, Moh. Assegaf, objected to the
\njudge's line of questioning, accusing him of raising \"questions
\nthat could lead the witness to give his opinion\".<\/p>\n
Assegaf asked the court to proceed and give the prosecutor the
\nchance to question the witness, suggesting the judge only needed
\nto ask additional questions.<\/p>\n
Djazuli first took the defense lawyer's rebuke silently, but
\nlater told Assegaf off saying the lawyer should \"look it up again
\nto see if the Criminal Code Procedures stipulate that the
\nprosecutor should question the witness first\".<\/p>\n
The South Jakarta District Court separately heard yesterday
\nthe subversion trials of four PRD activists - Petrus Hariyanto,
\nKen Budha Kusumandaru, Victor Da Costa, and Ignatius Putut
\nArintoko.<\/p>\n
The trials of PRD chairman Budiman Sudjatmiko and his
\ncolleagues -- Garda Sembiring, Yakobus Eko Kurniawan, Ignatius
\nDamianus Pranowo, Suroso -- were heard at the Central Jakarta
\nDistrict Court, some 15 kilometers away.<\/p>\n
The Central Jakarta District Court heard four witnesses
\nagainst Budiman. One of them, who participated in a June 1996
\nlabor strike reportedly organized by the PRD, testified yesterday
\nthat the activists' involvement actually had a positive effect.<\/p>\n
\"Our fight (for better welfare) was good,\" said Basir, one of
\nthe workers at the Kingston crayon company in Tangerang who took
\ntheir grievances to the House of Representatives in June 1996.<\/p>\n
Basir told the court he saw Budiman during the protest at the
\nHouse. \"There were activists from the PRD, PPBI and SMID. I saw
\nBudiman inside..I vaguely remember his face,\" said Basir.<\/p>\n
Basir recounted how at one stage in the workers' dispute with
\ntheir employers, the PRD activists told them to refuse to
\nnegotiate unless they were all accepted by the company
\nmanagement. In addition, the PRD activists urged the workers to
\ntake their complaint to the Ministry of Manpower.<\/p>\n
Following negotiations with the employers at the ministry, the
\nworkers had most of their demands met. \"Now we even have an
\nofficial labor union through which we can channel our
\naspirations. We had not demanded it then,\" said Basir. (08\/36)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/prosecution-witnesses-vindicate-defendants-1447893297",
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