11 Special Force troops face 15 to 26 months in jail
11 Special Force troops face 15 to 26 months in jail
JAKARTA (JP): A military prosecutor demanded on Tuesday jail
sentences of between 15 months and 26 months for 11 members of
the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) accused of abducting nine
political activists.
Chief military prosecutor Col. Harom Wijaya demanded that the
Jakarta military court sentence Maj. Bambang Kristiono, Capt.
F.S. Multhazar, Capt. Yulius Selvanus and Capt. Untung Budi Harto
to 26 months imprisonment. Harom also demanded 22-month jail
sentences for Capt. Nugroho Sulistyo Budi, Capt. Dadang Hendra
Yudha, Capt. Jaka Budi Utama and Capt. Fauka Noor Farid.
Harom also demanded that the court dismiss the soldiers from
the Armed Forces (ABRI).
He also asked the court to sentence the remaining three
defendants, Sgt. Maj. Sunaryo, Sgt. Maj. Sigit Sugianto and Sgt.
Sukadi, to 15 months imprisonment.
Harom did not disclose whether he also demanded the dismissal
of the three defendants from the Armed Forces.
"The 11 defendants are charged with deprivation of freedom
under Article 333 of the Criminal Code," Harom told the court,
which was presided over by Col. Susanto.
The offense carries a maximum penalty of eight years
imprisonment.
The court, which has yet to rule whether the 11 defendants are
guilty, is scheduled to resume the trial on March 16 to hear the
defendants' plea.
Maj. Bambang said previously that he established a "Rose Team"
within Kopassus in July 1997 to prevent "radical groups" from
sabotaging the General Session of the People's Consultative
Assembly in March last year.
Bambang also admitted that he was involved in the abductions
of Pius Lustrilanang, Desmon J. Mahesa, Haryanto Taslam, Feisol
Reza, Raharjo Waluyo Djati, Aan Rusdianto, Nezar Patria, Mugianto
and Andi Arief.
They were among 23 activists who were abducted by unidentified
men beginning in April 1997.
The nine activists whose abductions Bambang admitted his
involvement in resurfaced weeks after disappearing and spoke of
torture at the hands of their kidnappers. One of the 23 abducted
activists was found dead and the 13 other activists are still
listed as missing. Some of the parents of the missing have
attended the trial of the Kopassus soldiers.
Bambang said that he reported the information gathered from
the activists to his superior, then group commander Col.
Chairawan of Kopassus. At the time of the abductions, Kopassus
was headed by then president Soeharto's son-in-law Maj. Gen.
Prabowo Subianto.
Activists have demanded that Prabowo, last known to be in
Jordan, be put on trial. He admitted before the Officer's Honor
Council last August that he was involved in the abductions.
Military prosecutors say that the defendants acted on their
own initiative. (byg)