Students might face 10-15 months jail terms<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Government prosecutors yesterday demanded jail
\nterms ranging between 10 and 15 months for six students who are
\nbeing tried for defaming President Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Suhaimi, who is leading the prosecution team, told the Central
\nJakarta District Court that the six students intentionally sought
\nto discredit the President when they took part in a demonstration
\nat the House of Representatives (DPR) last December.<\/p>\n
"The defendants, who are supposed to be intellectuals, chose
\nnot to use polite words in communicating with the high government
\nbody," he said in arguing for convictions.<\/p>\n
The prosecutors demanded that Gunardi Aswantoro and Wandi
\nNicodemus Tuturong be given 15 months' imprisonment and sought 10
\nmonths jail terms for the other four: Anthony Leroy John Ratag,
\nDedi Ekabrata, M, Rifki, and Mandri Sri Martiana. Mandri is the
\nonly female in the group.<\/p>\n
They are among the 21 students who are currently being tried
\nfor defamation in connection with the Dec. 14 protest. The other
\ndefendants are tried in groups of four and 11 respectively.<\/p>\n
The maximum penalty for defaming a head of state is six years'
\nimprisonment.<\/p>\n
The prosecutors said the protesters used inappropriate
\nlanguage with the government and the House in communicating their
\ndemands through their posters, banners and chants.<\/p>\n
Suhaimi said the defendants never denied using the harsh words
\nduring the trial, some even suggesting that it was the only way
\nof conveying their message.<\/p>\n
He said witnesses presented by the prosecution also affirmed
\nthe allegation that strong words were indeed used.<\/p>\n
The more than 100 students who turned up at the House were
\ndemanding that the People's Consultative Assembly hold an
\nemergency session to bring Soeharto to bear for the series of
\nviolent actions used by the government in recent years.<\/p>\n
Suhaimi urged the court to disregard the testimony of
\npoliticians and government critics that were acting as defense
\nwitnesses, calling it pure fabrication.<\/p>\n
A number of politicians defended the students' actions on the
\ngrounds that freedom of expression was guaranteed by the
\nconstitution.<\/p>\n
In the trial of the group of four legislator Sabam Sirait, who
\nwas testifying for the students, used the opportunity to question
\nthe reason for the students' arrests.<\/p>\n
Sabam of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) said he will be
\nchecking on the reasons why the military had been used to
\napprehend the students instead of the police.<\/p>\n
He also asked the court why his earlier testimony before the
\nsame court had been videotaped and shown at the Armed Forces
\n(ABRI) headquarters.<\/p>\n
Presiding Judge Soetrisno said the trial was open and that
\nthere was no regulation against videotaping the proceedings as
\nlong as it did not interfere with the trial. (par)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/students-might-face-10-15-months-jail-terms-1447899208",
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