Jakarta high court upholds Bintang's jail sentence

Jakarta high court upholds Bintang's jail sentence

JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta High Court last week upheld the
verdict passed by a lower court against controversial politician
Sri Bintang Pamungkas for defaming President Soeharto during a
seminar in Berlin in 1995.

The High Court's verdict, which reached Bintang Monday,
rejected the politician's appeal and maintained the sentence of
34 months of imprisonment issued by the Central Jakarta District
Court in May last year.

Bintang has said he would appeal to the Supreme Court.

"We will appeal to the Supreme Court within 14 days," Bintang
announced yesterday.

The High Court supported the lower court verdict that Bintang
made slanderous remarks against President Soeharto, calling the
latter a dictator and a violator of the 1945 Constitution, in a
lecture before Indonesian students in the German capital in April
1995.

Bintang, however, questioned the High Court delay in
delivering the verdict. "I knew about the High Court's verdict in
September, while formal notice reached me on Dec. 30," he said.

Bintang expressed his belief that a political maneuver was
behind the delay. He also said he was convinced the Supreme Court
would decide on his planned appeal before the general election in
May.

He said he was also sure the Supreme Court's decision would be
made just before the overseas travel ban slapped on him expires
on April 18.

He stressed, however, he had no regrets whatsoever for his
remarks and activities in the past.

"I have to be able to become an example of an Indonesian
citizen who won't surrender in the fight for democracy here. I am
ready to spend the rest of my life in jail, if the Supreme Court
later decides that I am guilty," he said.

Bintang had represented the United Development Party (PPP) in
the House of Representatives from 1992. He lost his seat in May
1995 during the course of the police investigation.

The PPP leaders said one of the reasons for Bintang's
dismissal was because his line on many political issues
repeatedly contradicted the official party line.

Bintang established his own political party in May last year,
the unrecognized Indonesian Democratic Union Party and announced
his intention to run for president in 1998. (imn)