Aberson's lawyers threaten to leave the courtroom

JAKARTA (JP): Lawyers of a legislator facing trial for allegedly defaming President Soeharto said yesterday they would leave the courtroom if videotapes were presented as evidence.

Luhut M.P. Pangaribuan, one of the lawyers, told the Central Jakarta District Court that videotapes of a speech by legislator Aberson Marle Sihaloho during an Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) free speech forum last year were illegal and should not be accepted as evidence.

He said police witnesses had testified that they took the pictures without permission from the forum organizer, and submitted them to a superior without any supporting information.

"By editing, the voice in the tapes could be dubbed, so we question their accuracy," Luhut said.

Aberson, a member of the House of Representatives from the PDI faction is being tried for a speech he gave on July 13, 1996, at the party's headquarters.

The free speech forum was organized by supporters of Megawati Soekarnoputri, the ousted leader of the PDI, to oppose a June congress in Medan which placed Soerjadi as the new party leader.

In yesterday's session, presiding judge Suhardjo rejected Luhut's statement and said he would view the tapes at the next trial session, next week.

"Why don't we hear the cassettes first, and if you feel there is some impropriety you can argue over it," he said.

Luhut said he was afraid the tapes would influence the court's proceedings if they were played.

"We will waste our time if we listen to something illegal," he said.

Luhut said that lawyers representing Aberson would not be present in the court if the tapes were played.

The judge said the trial would go on without them.

Earlier, legal expert Harun Al Rasyid and PDI legislator Sabam Sirait gave their testimonies for Aberson's trial.

Sabam said the free speech forum was based on an agreement between the party's executive board and chief of the Jakarta Regional Military Command Maj. Gen. Sutiyoso.

"The forum was held with the government's consent," he said.

Sabam said that during a hearing between the House and the Armed Forces, he had warned the Armed Forces Chief, Gen. Feisal Tanjung, not to attend the Medan congress because it was illegal.

"As a member of the House and one of the PDI founders, I said the congress was against the party's statute and I urged him not to go," he said.

Sabam said the party statute stipulates that the next mandatory congress is to be held in 1998.

Sabam asked Aberson to deliver a speech on the state budget to meet the attendants' request.

Chiefs of the Central and South Jakarta District Court said the subversion trials of the Democratic People's Party (PRD) would continue during the election campaign from April 27 to May 23.

Under Indonesian law, rallies are banned during the election campaign.

Chief of the Central Jakarta District Court, I.G.K. Sukarata, said it was a difficult decision because if the trials were adjourned until after the May 29 election, people would speculate on what was wrong. "But if we continue the trials, we are afraid they will attract crowds which may provoke chaos," he said.

Chief of the South Jakarta District Court, Burhan Husein Putra Djaya, said he was never instructed to postpone the trials during the campaign period. (05)