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.