Rights campaigners named libel suspects<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Rights activists Usman Hamid and Rachland Nashidik have been
\nnamed suspects arising out of a defamation complaint filed with
\nthe police by former National Intelligence Agency (BIN) director
\nA.M. Hendropriyono.<\/p>\n
The two were members of the now defunct government-sanctioned
\nfact-finding team that assisted the police in investigating the
\nmurder of rights campaigner Munir.<\/p>\n
Usman and Rachland said they had been summoned by the Jakarta
\nPolice for questioning at Jakarta Police Headquarters on Monday.<\/p>\n
In his complaint, Hendropriyono said the two had spread
\ndamaging rumors about him and had defamed him during the course
\nof the team's work.<\/p>\n
Police also questioned as witnesses a number of chief editors
\nand reporters whose papers published the activists' statement
\nabout Hendropriyono.<\/p>\n
Usman said the police should be investigating whether BIN was
\ninvolved in Munir's murder instead of questioning him and
\nRachland over a defamation complaint. The fact-finding team said
\nin its final report that the murder of Munir was a conspiracy
\nthat could have involved officials from BIN.<\/p>\n
Munir was found dead aboard a Garuda flight from Jakarta to
\nAmsterdam last September. An autopsy conducted in the Netherlands
\nrevealed excessive amounts of arsenic in his body.<\/p>\n
But prosecutors have ignored the fact-finding team's
\nrecommendation. In their indictment of one of the suspects,
\nPollycarpus Budihari Priyanto, the prosecutors said Munir's
\nmurder was plotted by the defendant and two fellow Garuda
\nemployees. Pollycarpus, the prosecutors said, desired Munir dead
\nas he considered him a thorn in the side of the Unitary Republic
\nof Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Police have set up a new investigative team led by Brig. Gen.
\nMarsudi Hanafi, who also headed the old team. The new team
\nrecently arrested a Garuda passenger who was on Munir's flight
\nfor immigration violations, and is investigating whether their is
\nany connection between him and Munir's murder.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rights-campaigners-named-libel-suspects-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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