Prosecutors take hard line on Megawati's supporters<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Government prosecutors urged the Central Jakarta
\nDistrict Court yesterday to continue the trials of 64 people
\naccused of assault during the July 27 riots.<\/p>\n
The prosecutors said the government had a strong legal case
\nagainst the defendants, because four people, including two police
\nofficers, were injured as a direct result of their actions.<\/p>\n
Prosecutor Yusita L. Mantir, who was handling one of the five
\ngroup trials yesterday, identified the victims as Dedy Suntani,
\nNur Cahyono, both civilians, and I Made Wiranata and Edi Sularso,
\nboth police second sergeants.<\/p>\n
\"Dedy sustained a one centimeter cut on his right cheek, Nur
\nlost two front teeth, Wiranata's knee was injured and Edi had a
\nswollen nose,\" Yusita told the court.<\/p>\n
The 64 defendants, all supporters of ousted Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, are being
\ntried in five groups: two groups of 12 defendants, one group of
\n11, one group of 15 and one group of 14.<\/p>\n
The defense lawyers in their rebuttal last week asked that the
\ncases be dismissed, saying that none of the defendants were
\naccompanied by their lawyers during their interrogation which
\ncontravenes Criminal Code Procedures.<\/p>\n
This was denied by the prosecutors yesterday.<\/p>\n
Yusita said the defendants had waived their rights to be
\naccompanied by their lawyers, and they had all signed statements
\nto that effect.<\/p>\n
Some of the defendants challenged Yusita's claim. They said
\nthey had signed the prepared text after police investigators had
\npromised they would be released.<\/p>\n
The 64 defendants are among 124 being tried in connection with
\nthe July 27 riots. They were arrested after the takeover of the
\nPDI headquarters in Jl. Diponegoro, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
One of the trials ended in commotion yesterday with the
\ndefendants accusing the court of prejudice.<\/p>\n
\"The trial is unfair,\" one of them said.<\/p>\n
\"It's a sell out,\" another said.<\/p>\n
\"If you are not content, you may as well kill us now,\" another
\nshouted.<\/p>\n
Their lawyers urged the court to place the defendants under
\ncity arrest, so that they could return to work and make a living.<\/p>\n
The trials yesterday only heard the prosecutors' cases. The
\ntrials were adjourned until next Wednesday. (16)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/prosecutors-take-hard-line-on-megawatis-supporters-1447893297",
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