Court revokes Pakpahan book ban

JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta State Administrative Court has issued a by-verdict revoking a ban on labor leader Muchtar Pakpahan's book Rakyat Menggugat (The People's Suit).

Azet Hutabarat, who led the team of lawyers processing Muchtar's appeal, said in a media statement here yesterday that a panel of judges presided by Marina Sidabutar granted the lawyers' request and ordered the Attorney General's Office to suspend a ban on the book's distribution.

"With the court decision, all book shops are now allowed to redistribute the copies of the book," he said.

The Attorney General's Office banned the book on Jan. 20, 1997, after deeming its content jeopardized national stability.

Pakpahan and his team of lawyers filed suit demanding that the decision be overturned and appealed that circulation be continued while court proceedings were in progress.

Thursday's verdict supported the appeal and sources said, given the current climate, it would signal the way for a final verdict in favor of Pakpahan.

Hutabarat said the panel of judges did not support the decision to ban the book and argued that its circulation could be beneficial to readers.

He added that the team from lawyers of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) would also ask the Attorney General's Office to recommend President B.J. Habibie and the House of Representatives lift the law on the seizure of printed material because it was against the 1945 Constitution guaranteeing freedom of opinion.

Pakpahan, chairman of the Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI), was recently released from the Cipinang prison. He was jailed for allegedly instigating a riot in Medan, North Sumatra in 1994. (rms)