Ratna charged with staging illegal meeting<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Stage actress Ratna Sarumpaet and eight other
\nactivists were formally charged yesterday with organizing a
\npolitical meeting in a North Jakarta hotel without a police
\npermit Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said the group
\nhad been charged under a 1969 law restricting political
\nactivities. If found guilty they face a maximum sentence of one
\nyear in jail.<\/p>\n
\"Our investigation found that they were responsible for
\norganizing the illegal congress,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Ratna has also been charged with defaming the government, a
\npunishable offense under the Criminal Code, he said. The offense
\ncarries a maximum sentence of seven years.<\/p>\n
The other eight activists are Fathom Saulina (Ratna's
\ndaughter), Alexius S. (a lawyer from the Association of
\nIndonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights or PBHI), Ging Ginanjar (a
\nfreelance journalist), Adi Hermawan (a participant from Lampung),
\nBonar Tigor Naipospos (of the Indonesian Society for Humanity),
\nAspar Paturisi (an artist), Nandang Wirakusuma and Joel Thaher.<\/p>\n
They remained in custody yesterday at Jakarta Police
\nHeadquarters.<\/p>\n
They were arrested Tuesday after police broke up a meeting,
\nbilled as Kongres Indonesia (Indonesian Congress) at Pondok Putri
\nDuyung Cottage in the Ancol Dreamland complex.<\/p>\n
The meeting, which intended to discuss the current economic
\ncrisis, had listed prominent government critics Amien Rais and
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri among its speakers.<\/p>\n
Police had originally planned to arrest Ratna who had
\ncoordinated the gathering. But she resisted arrest, demanding to
\nsee a warrant, and eight colleagues who tried to stop the
\nofficers were picked up too.<\/p>\n
Aritonang defended the arrests, saying they were in compliance
\nwith the law.<\/p>\n
Police did not need to have warrants because they were caught
\nred-handed committing the offense, he said.<\/p>\n
\"They were staging a congress without a permit from the
\npolice.\"<\/p>\n
He criticized some local newspapers for suggesting that police
\nhad used force to break up the meeting as participants were
\nsaying prayers.<\/p>\n
\"That's not true. When the police officers arrived, they
\nordered the organizers to end the meeting.<\/p>\n
\"We have the video recording as proof that the congress was
\nstopped after the participants said prayers.\"<\/p>\n
Executive director of PBHI, Hendardi, which is representing
\nthe activists, protested against the arrests and questioned the
\nuse of the 1969 law.<\/p>\n
\"They are citizens who wanted to hold a meeting because they
\ncare about the problems facing the country. They do not have to
\nhave a police permit for that,\" Hendardi said.<\/p>\n
The 1969 law has been used by the government to prevent people
\nfrom expressing views different from its own, he said.<\/p>\n
\"It should no longer be used.\"<\/p>\n
Hendardi demanded the police immediately release Alexius, a
\nPBHI lawyer who had gone to the meeting to advise participants of
\ntheir legal rights.<\/p>\n
His arrest is an affront to the legal profession, he said.<\/p>\n
Police also announced yesterday that four labor activists have
\nbeen charged with staging a protest on Jl. Thamrin Monday.<\/p>\n
Aritonang identified the four as Farahdiba Agust, Wendi
\nNikodemus, Widi, and Kuldiv Singh.<\/p>\n
Two other activists, identified as Hermanto and Yudi Rahmat
\nhad also been charged for their participation in another street
\nprotest in Tanjung Priok on the same day.<\/p>\n
Both protests were demanding the release of labor leader
\nMuchtar Pakpahan. (byg\/cst)<\/p>",
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