Hotman Paris Faces Double Blow: Denied by Gerindra and Rebuked by Forum Pemred
Prominent lawyer Hotman Paris Hutapea, who represents former Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes Febrie Adriansyah, has received a double blow. He was contradicted by the Gerindra Party over statements invoking President Prabowo Subianto’s name, and issued an ultimatum by the Forum of Editors-in-Chief (Forum Pemred) for his attitude, which was deemed to belittle journalists during a press conference.
Chairman of the Gerindra Party Central Executive Board, Bambang Haryadi, stressed that President Prabowo Subianto has never intervened in legal matters in the country. This statement directly refutes Hotman Paris’s claim made during a press conference for his client.
“Gerindra regrets Hotman Paris’s statement linking the case of the former Jampidsus to President Prabowo. This is completely untrue and contradicts President Prabowo’s commitment to eradicating corruption,” Bambang said in a statement in Jakarta on Sunday.
He emphasised that law enforcement in President Prabowo’s era is impartial, proven by the legal processing of several officials, including ministers and regional heads. “Prabowo always reminds us in every party activity that he will not protect cadres who commit disgraceful acts or corruption. This has been proven, as several regional heads affiliated with Gerindra who violated the law have been processed,” said the Secretary of the Gerindra Faction in the Indonesian House of Representatives. “Even a cabinet member, a deputy minister, has also been processed by law.”
Furthermore, Bambang requested that Hotman not involve the President’s name in the defence of his client. “President Prabowo has never interfered with law enforcement,” he stated.
Hotman officially became the legal counsel for the corruption suspect, former Jampidsus Febrie Adriansyah, on Friday (17/7). During a press conference at the Jampidsus Building of the Attorney General’s Office, Hotman stated that his client was not detained after being examined by the AGO. He also denied that his client received money from property entrepreneur Tan Kian. The famous lawyer also referred to his client as a pride of Prabowo who was being criminalised without the authorities “asking permission” from Prabowo first when naming him a suspect.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian Forum of Editors-in-Chief (Forum Pemred) has urged lawyer Hotman Paris Hutapea to respect the journalistic profession, following statements made during a press conference at the Attorney General’s Office that were considered demeaning to journalists. Forum Pemred Chairperson Retno Pinasti, in a statement in Jakarta, said the editors-in-chief deplored Hotman Paris’s attitude and manner of answering journalists’ questions during the press conference related to his client’s case. “The choice of words and the manner in which Hotman Paris Hutapea responded to journalists’ questions were highly unprofessional and demeaned the profession of journalists who were working to carry out the mandate of the Press Law,” Retno said.