Judges not yet ready to rule AJI action

JAKARTA: The judges handling a suit filed by lawyers for the Jakarta chapter of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI Jakarta) against the police delayed the hearing of the case on Tuesday.

"The court clerk is busy and we have not received the case file, so we will be unable to make any ruling today. The hearing is adjourned until Oct. 6," presiding judge Iskandar Tjakke told the hearing at the Central Jakarta District Court.

When the lawyers, grouped in the Committee for the Defense of Press Freedom (KPKP), asked the judges to reschedule the hearing sometime next week, Iskandar said: "No, I won't be ready by that time".

The action was filed over the attacks on the offices and journalists of Tempo magazine on March 8 by a group of thugs, with lawyers for the journalists accusing the police of dereliction of duty on account of their failure to stop the violence.

In its suit, the KPKP demanded that the press law be included in the curriculum of the police academy.

The March attack started with a demonstration by thugs claiming to be supporters of well-connected businessman Tomy Winata. They were protesting an article by Tempo which insinuated that Tomy had been involved in a fire that badly damaged the Tanah Abang market in February. -- JP