Govt to release at least 10 political prisoners

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Justice Muladi said yesterday that he would meet with President B.J. Habibie today to discuss the release of between 10 and 15 political prisoners.

Muladi said in Semarang, Central Java, that he and Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung would meet with Habibie to discuss who would be released in the next few weeks.

He said prisoners being considered would fall into categories of those incarcerated because they were critical of the previous government under president Soeharto.

Muladi would not specify which individuals would be released but, when pressed by journalists, acknowledged that jailed former legislator Sri Bintang Pamungkas would likely be among them.

"Sri Bintang Pamungkas could very likely be included in this category," he said as quoted by Antara

But the minister quickly raised doubts about the release of East Timor separatist leader Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao when his name was mentioned.

"For Xanana Gusmao I'm not so sure. I'm not too sure because his case is entirely different. Let's wait and see tomorrow (today)," he said, adding that those jailed because of criminal acts or armed rebellion would probably not be considered for release.

He added that political prisoners jailed for their activities with the now banned Indonesian Communist Party could also be considered if they were over 70-years-old or nearing the end of their life.

Separately, Sri Bintang Pamungkas said yesterday at Cipinang Penitentiary in East Jakarta that he and other political prisoners would reject being released under an amnesty.

"We strongly refuse the word amnesty in connection with our release as political prisoners. The correct word should be 'free without any condition or doubt'," said the former legislator who has been in jail since 1996 after being found guilty of defaming then president Soeharto. (mds)