Judges not yet ready to rule AJI action

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