'Editorial board legally responsible for content'

'Editorial board legally responsible for content'

JAKARTA (JP): The director of the Jakarta-based Dr. Soetomo
Press Institute said on the witness stand in the Suara Independen
trial yesterday the magazine's editorial board was responsible
for the publication.

Atmakusumah said the South Jakarta District Court must find
out who was on the editorial board although the (unlicensed)
magazine, Suara Independen, carried no masthead listing board
members. He said the board members were legally responsible for
the content of the magazine.

"How could the magazine exist without an editorial board?" he
asked.

Atmakusumah was testifying in the trial of Andi Syahputra, 32,
charged with defaming President Soeharto by printing an illegal
magazine containing offending articles.

He told the court that under Indonesian Press Law, general
managers, chief and managing editors, or reporters were
responsible for the content of their media.

The title of one of the magazine's articles is considered
insulting to President Soeharto.

When asked by judges whether or not the title defamed the
president, Atmakusumah said; "It is defamatory if you read it
literally, but symbolically it's not defamation. The words come
from a fairy tale".

Another witness, a researcher from the Language Development
Center at the Ministry of Education and Culture, said the title
was defamatory.

"It's defamation. The title is both explicitly and implicitly
insulting," witness Andi Sunaryo said.

Defense lawyer Irianto Subiakto asked him to look at the title
in context before making his statements, but he maintained it was
slanderous.

The witness also testified that one of the articles said 600
of the 1,000 members of People's Consultative Assembly were
appointed by president, so the assembly was not representative of
the people. "This could create hostility among the people," the
witness said.

Judge Haryono said he did not agree. "It has not created
hostility. It is a fact that everybody knows," he said.

The trial was adjourned until next week. (13)