Activists on trial for 'defaming President'

Activists on trial for 'defaming President'

Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post/Makassar

The Makassar District Court began hearing on Thursday the case of
six student and labor activists charged with insulting President
Megawati Soekarnoputri during a protest in April.

The defendants, including Rudi Hartono, the chairman of the
Makassar National Democratic Student League, and Ihsar Yatim, a
former chairman of the Maritime Executive Board at Hasanuddin
University, could face a maximum of six years in prison if found
guilty.

The other four defendants are the director of the Association
of the Indonesian Poor, Al Ilyas Akbar, National Front for United
Indonesian Labor Unions chairman Muh. Anshar, Community Youth
Movement chairwoman Wahida Baharuddin Upa and the director of the
Legal Aid Institute of the People of Makassar, Petrus Pice
Jailahi.

During the opening day of the trial, which is being presided
over by judge Muhammad Adnan, prosecutor Muhammad Taufik said the
six defendants violated Article 160 of the Criminal Code on the
defamation of the president and other state officials.

The six also are accused of violating articles 134 and 137 of
the Criminal Code for calling on people to boycott the elections.

Taufik said the defendants also provoked others to violate
election laws, as well as disrupting public order during a
protest on April 3, 2004, at the office of the South Sulawesi
General Elections Commission.

He said the protest, held two days prior to the April 5
legislative election, was illegal because organizers had not
received a permit from the authorities.

Police eventually dispersed the protesters, including dozens
of student and labor activists opposed to Megawati, Vice
President Hamzah Haz and House of Representatives Speaker Akbar
Tandjung.

The protesters also opposed the nomination of presidential
candidates with military backgrounds, and urged people to boycott
the legislative and presidential elections.

The trial on Thursday was attended by dozens of students from
universities in South Sulawesi. The session lasted for one hour
before the trial was adjourned to Sept. 23, at which time the
court will hear the defendants' pleas.