Activists ready to continue their trials without lawyers
JAKARTA (JP): Student activists facing subversion charges for allegedly undermining the government relinquished their lawyers yesterday and called the trials "a sham".
Chairman of the unrecognized Democratic People's Party (PRD) Budiman Sudjatmiko and eight fellow activists said they would continue the trials without legal counsel.
"I'll take this alone now," Budiman said in the packed courtroom of the Central Jakarta District Court, hugging one of his lawyers grouped in the Team of Lawyers to Defend Indonesian Justice.
"We can no longer trust the court to perform a fair trial here, and we don't want our lawyers to be a part of this political farce," said Budiman.
The prosecution had sought a sentence of 15 years for 27-year- old Budiman, and sentences ranging from eight to 13 years for his colleagues being tried separately at the Central Jakarta District Court and the South Jakarta District Court.
Budiman read the group's statement called "The Political Accountability Speech of the PRD". It delineated its stance on social political issues which the prosecution had used as the basis for its subversion charges.
Judge Sjoffinan Sumantri had to repeatedly bang his gavel to bring order to the crowded courtroom.
Similar scenes were repeated at the trial of activists Yakobus Eko Kurniawan, Suroso, Ign. Damianus Pranowo and Garda Sembiring who also read the group's statement.
The speech attacked the country's five laws on politics, which the activists described as "a conspiracy to strip the people of their power".
Budiman also called for a boycott of the May 29 general election. He said a fair and free election could not be expected under the current political system where the government acts as "the conceptor, the executor and the winner of the election".
Clad in a white shirt and wearing a red headband inscribed with the slogan "PRD Boycott the Election", Budiman told the court: "That was not our defense statement. We're not begging for leniency. We don't care if you sentence us to death."
Applause
The courtroom erupted in applause as supporters shouted "Boycott the election, boycott the election". They were stopped only after Sjoffinan threatened to call in security personnel to arrest them.
Prosecutor Moh. Salim said Budiman's speech had no legal basis and the prosecution maintained the sentence it had demanded.
The sessions were adjourned until April 28 when the judges will hand down the verdicts.
The subversion trial of labor leader Muchtar Pakpahan for allegedly making antigovernment statements continues to be delayed because of his poor health.
Pakpahan yesterday underwent the first of 12 physiotherapy sessions to treat his paralyzed right hand. His wife, Rosintan, said Pakpahan's appendix surgery on April 3 had not cured his abdominal complaint, and he needed further treatment.
"His condition is getting worse," she said from the Cikini hospital where Pakpahan is being treated.
Pakpahan was admitted to hospital on March 7. Doctors believed he was suffering from a "light stroke".
Doctors later said he had lung cancer, but a biopsy did not reveal this. After further examination, doctors revealed he had tuberculosis.
Rosintan said Pakpahan was unable to take the TB medication. "After he drank the medicine he vomited, and his body trembled," she said.
When Pakpahan last appeared in court, on March 3, he yelled at the presiding judge and accused him of ignoring his poor health.
The judge claimed Pakpahan was trying to attract press attention by bringing his health problems to court. (aan/05)