Students pledge to continue protest against press ban<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Students aligned with Students' Solidarity for
\nDemocracy in Indonesia (SMID) said yesterday that the crackdown
\non protests against the media ban will not stop them from
\nspeaking out.<\/p>\n
\"SMID will continue to fight for freedom of the press,
\ninformation and for democracy,\" Ngarto Februana, acting secretary
\ngeneral for the group, told legislators at the House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR).<\/p>\n
Some 75 students grouped in the movement visited the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party (PDI) and Armed Forces (ABRI)
\nfactions at the House in separate meetings to express their
\ndisappointment over the banning of the Tempo, Editor and DeTIK
\nperiodicals.<\/p>\n
They also expressed dissatisfaction over the way security
\nofficers dispersed their peaceful hunger strike on the premises
\nof the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) last week.<\/p>\n
The military crackdown on protesters on June 27 was another
\nsource of contention referred to by the students. During the
\nincident, a number of protesters are reported to have been
\nseverely injured after being attacked by security troops.<\/p>\n
Forty-one students, including two who intended to hold a
\nhunger strike to protest the ban, were arrested on July 7 by the
\nCentral Jakarta Police officers on charges of \"engaging in
\nboisterous conduct.\"
\nAppeal<\/p>\n
Each student was fined Rp 2,500 (US$1.16) by the Central
\nJakarta District Court for taking part in the activities. The
\nstudents, who were assisted by lawyers from YLBHI rejected the
\nsentence and filed for an appeal.<\/p>\n
YLBHI has also strongly protested against the arrests, saying
\nthey were by far the greatest atrocity of all.<\/p>\n
The students said in their written statement that the security
\nofficers had violated the Constitution by arresting the
\nparticipants in the hunger strike.<\/p>\n
Officers<\/p>\n
They also urged the National Police Chief to punish the
\nofficers who had overstepped their authority.<\/p>\n
In the meeting with PDI, legislator Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno
\ntold the students that the faction shared their disappointment
\nover the ban.<\/p>\n
\"Our stance regarding the ban is clear,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Soetardjo, however, told the students to understand the fact
\nthat being the minority in the House, PDI's position might have
\nlittle impact.<\/p>\n
Representatives of the ABRI faction said they will listen to
\nthe students' demands in order to formulate follow-up actions.<\/p>\n
Legislators from the ABRI factions said earlier on Saturday
\nthat it supported the journalists' efforts to have the ban
\nlifted, saying that they will seek a congenial solution.<\/p>\n
They also urged the journalists to file a lawsuit against the
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
The magazines were closed down by the government last month
\nunder the accusation of ignoring government warnings regarding
\neither news policy or operational aspects of press publication.
\n(par)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/students-pledge-to-continue-protest-against-press-ban-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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