'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)