Cartoonist taken off wanted list

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)