Cartoonist taken off wanted list

YOGYAKARTA: The provincial prosecutor's office officially removed cartoonist Bambang Aditya Pradana, alias Yayak, from their wanted list yesterday after the artist spent seven-years on the run for allegedly drawing "subversive" pictures of former president Soeharto.

Head of the provincial prosecutor's office Suparman said the decision to exonerate Yayak was taken in response to a request submitted to his office by the Yogyakarta Legal Aid Institute on May 29.

"We took the decision in light of calls to reform," Suparman told reporters here.

In April 1991, Yayak was put on the wanted list for allegedly tarnishing Soeharto's image by attempting to distribute 5,000 copies of his cartoons.

His artwork, entitled Tanah Untuk Rakyat (Land for the People), which mostly depicted Soeharto using the military to abuse the people, was considered "subversive" by officials.

Budi Santosa, the legal aid institute spokesman, said his client was currently in Germany.

"We'll tell Yayak the news so that he can return to Indonesia," Budi said. (44)