Vocal scholar hauled in for more questioning<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): The authorities formally charged outspoken
\nintellectual George Junus Aditjondro on Saturday with insulting
\nthe government.<\/p>\n
George was summoned to the Yogyakarta police precinct for the
\nsecond time this month in connection with comments he made during
\nan August seminar on democracy.<\/p>\n
Plainclothes police heavily guarded the room where the
\nlecturer from the Salatiga-based Satya Wacana University was
\nquestioned from 10:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. behind closed doors.<\/p>\n
The authorities said George made slanderous remarks on
\nIndonesia's economic and political practices when he analyzed
\npapers presented by Gen. (ret) Sumitro, former chief of internal
\nsecurity agency and Gen. (ret) Rudini, a former home affairs
\nminister.<\/p>\n
George, well-known for his critical stance on the government's
\npolicy on the former Portuguese colony of East Timor, says he is
\nunaware which of his remarks in the seminar was considered
\noffensive.<\/p>\n
Sources at the police precinct said the questioning was halted
\nafter doctors found that his blood pressure had risen to an
\nalarming level. They said that George was able to answer 16 of
\nthe 50 questions already listed by the authorities. The
\nquestioning is scheduled to resume today.<\/p>\n
Before appearing at the police precinct with his lawyers from
\nthe Legal Aid Institute (LBH), he had twice declined to come on
\nthe grounds that the authorities' letters of invitation did not
\nmake it clear why he was invited.<\/p>\n
\"In legal terms, everything must be accurate,\" argued LBH
\nlawyer Artijo Alkostar who is defending him during the police
\ninvestigation.<\/p>\n
Police said they formally charged him of slandering the
\ngovernment after they found sufficient evidence from his first
\ninterrogation on Oct. 15.<\/p>\n
If the court finds him guilty, Aditjondro faces a maximum
\nsentence of 18 months in jail.<\/p>\n
The authorities charged that George had \"insulted the
\nIndonesian government both verbally and in written statements.\"<\/p>\n
Confusing<\/p>\n
Artijo said that the wording in the charges was \"confusing\"
\nbecause George did not present a paper during the seminar on \"The
\nUrgency of Political Development in the Process of Democracy in
\nIndonesia,\" which was organized by the Indonesian Islamic
\nUniversity.<\/p>\n
But Maj. Anton Tabah, deputy chief of the Yogyakarta precinct
\nargued that the wording was quoted directly from article 207 of
\nthe criminal code.<\/p>\n
Artijo said he would request that investigators summon Rudini
\nand Sumitro because their's were the papers being discussed. He
\nalso plans to propose that the police also summon Sri Bintang
\nPamungkas, an outspoken legislator who was also present at the
\nseminar as a witness for his side.<\/p>\n
\"Rudini and Sumitro should also be questioned for my benefit
\nbecause I was discussing their papers at the seminar,\" George
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
George's case has captured the attention of fellow academics
\nand human rights campaigners who are concerned over the various
\nrestrictions that the government has re-imposed over the past few
\nmonths following two years of unprecedented political \"openness\".
\n(r. fadjri\/pan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/vocal-scholar-hauled-in-for-more-questioning-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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