Budiman on trial next week

JAKARTA (JP): Budiman Sudjatmiko, the leader of the Democratic People's Party (PRD) accused of masterminding the July 27 riots, will go on trial next Thursday.

Budiman, who helped found the previously obscure youth organization, will be tried at Central Jakarta District Court along with four of his activist friends on charges of subversion, which carries a maximum penalty of death.

Head of the Central Jakarta District Court I Gde Ketut Sukarata said Tuesday he has appointed the judges for the trials.

"We've studied the three dossiers presented to us Monday and set up three panels of judges," he said.

At least five people died in the riots that shook the capital on July 27. The National Commission on Human Rights says 23 other people are still missing, and has called on the government to follow its finding up.

The four other activists to be tried along with Budiman are Suroso, Ignatius Pranowo, Jakobus Eko Kurniawan and Garda Sembiring of the Indonesian Students Solidarity for Democracy, an affiliate of the PRD.

All five suspects are being detained at the Attorney General's Office.

According to Sukarata, the presiding judge for Budiman's case is Sjoffinan Sumantri, while the panel of judges trying Garda Sembiring will be led by Judge Madnjono Widiatmadja. Judge Asmar Ismail will be heading the panel trying Suroso, Ignatius Pranowo and Jakobus Eko Kurniawan.

On Monday, the state prosecutors had also filed a dossier on Muchtar Pakpahan, leader of the unrecognized Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union, and on four other PRD members with the South Jakarta District Court. The date for the trials has yet to be determined. All of them are being charged with subversion.

Budiman and his friends will be defended by the Defense Team of the Indonesian Law and Justice, led by Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara, while Pakpahan will be defended by a team of lawyers from his union.

In a press report yesterday, Budiman said he and his friends had no idea yet what charges had been brought against them.

"I've asked the interrogating prosecutors about it during the interrogation, but I got no answer," Budiman told visiting members of the human rights commission, as quoted by Republika.

Budiman said almost 95 percent of the interrogation's focus was centered on the content of his organization's political manifesto, rather than on his alleged role in the riots. (08)