`Tempo' editor sues Harmoko for closing down magazine<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The former chief editor of the defunct Tempo
\nweekly filed a lawsuit against Minister of Information Harmoko
\nyesterday for revoking the magazine's publishing license.<\/p>\n
\"This is one of our efforts to show that there is something
\nwrong with the banning of Tempo,\" Goenawan Mohamad told
\njournalists in his office after filing the suit at the Jakarta
\nAdministrative Court (PTUN Jakarta).<\/p>\n
Previously, there were street demonstrations, some of which
\nbordered on violence, by Tempo journalists and their colleagues.
\nHowever, the government responded to these demonstrations with a
\nrenewed commitment to the ban against the news publication.<\/p>\n
Goenawan, backed by a team of eight top lawyers, is taking his
\nbattle into the court room.<\/p>\n
He is demanding that the court order the government to
\nwithdraw the controversial ministerial decree dated June 21,
\n1994, which revoked Tempo's publishing license -- a move which
\nwas tantamount to its permanent closure.<\/p>\n
Although he has expressed that he was no longer interested in
\nrunning the magazine, Goenawan also appealed to the court to
\nallow Tempo to resume publication.<\/p>\n
The suit was filed only a day after journalists and employees
\nof the defunct magazine formally applied for a new publishing
\nlicense for a new magazine, called Opini. However, the
\njournalists were pessimistic that they would be granted a new
\nlicense.<\/p>\n
The lawyers who will be exploiting the legal aspects of the
\nissues on Goenawan's behalf include Todung Mulya Lubis, Adnan
\nBuyung Nasution, Amir Syamsuddin, Trimoelja Soerjadi, Frans
\nHendra Winarta, Atmajaya Salim and Nurhasyim Ilyas and the
\nchairman of the Indonesian Bar Association (Ikadin) Harjono
\nTjitrosoebono.<\/p>\n
First lawsuit<\/p>\n
This is the first lawsuit in the country's history filed
\nagainst the government in connection with the revocation of
\npublishing licenses.<\/p>\n
The proprietor of Prioritas, a Jakarta-based daily newspaper
\nwhich lost its license in 1987, sought to repeal a decree made by
\nthe Minister of Information, which empowered him to revoke the
\npublishing licenses of newspapers and magazines through the
\nSupreme Court. However, the repeal failed.<\/p>\n
Tempo lost its license in June along with two other news
\nmagazines, Editor and DeTik. Tempo was punished because of
\ncertain aspects of its editorial content, although the government
\nnever categorically stated the articles that were deemed to be
\noffensive. Editor and DeTik were punished for administrative
\nreasons.<\/p>\n
Goenawan said he decided to sue the minister following
\nencouragement from the Armed Forces (ABRI) faction of the House
\nof Representatives (DPR) as well as other people from various
\nfields.<\/p>\n
Mulya, the spokesman of the legal team, said the lawyers hoped
\nto prove to the court that the revocation of Tempo's decree
\nwas against the Press Law and the 1945 Constitution -- both of
\nwhich guarantee freedom of expression.<\/p>\n
\"The reason given for revoking the publishing license is
\nobscure. We don't know which articles were considered to be a
\nthreat to public order,\" Mulya said.<\/p>\n
Calling the government's move \"irrational and unacceptable,\"
\nhe said that this was just a form of the \"arrogance of power.\"<\/p>\n
The lawsuit states that the information minister had abused
\nhis power by making one-sided accusation that Tempo did not
\nreflect the healthy and responsible press.<\/p>\n
It also challenged the minister's remarks that Tempo was
\nbanned for the sake of the national stability.<\/p>\n
\"The news reported by Tempo and other media did not disturb
\nnational stability, security or order. The situation remained
\nstable, safe and orderly and the development program has
\ncontinued. It would seem that the defendant was paranoid,\"
\naccording to suit, a copy of which was made available to the
\npress.<\/p>\n
\"It is tragic that Tempo has become the victim of the disease
\nof paranoia, which has become a common ailment for the
\ngovernmental body.\" (sim)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tempo-editor-sues-harmoko-for-closing-down-magazine-1447893297",
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