Lawyers remind court that Permadi is Moslem

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Lawyers defending soothsayer Permadi Satrio Wiwoho yesterday took offense at an accusation by government prosecutors that their client is not a Moslem, but a follower of a Javanese cult known as Kepercayaan terhadap Tuhan Yang Maha Esa.

The lawyers told the Sleman District Court in Yogyakarta, where Permadi is being tried on charges of blasphemy against Islam, that the accusation "is dangerous" and politically sensitive.

"We're deeply disturbed that the prosecution team does not know the law, which states that Kepercayaan terhadap Tuhan Yang Maha Esa (Belief in One God) is not a religion but a culture," Ramndlon Naning, one of Permadi's lawyers.

"We believe that the prosecutors, by making such an accusation about our client who has professed to be a Moslem, have deviated from the original charges for which the suspect has been accused."

Permadi is on trial for remarks he made during a seminar at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta in April last year.

The government prosecutors said that Permadi during the gathering called Prophet Muhammad "a dictator".

The soothsayer in his defense said that his quotes were manipulated and taken out of context by the prosecutors. He said he made those remarks in response to a question from someone who had suggested that the prophet, as the leader of Islam at the time, had immense power bestowed upon him.

Permadi said the prosecutors have cut out a part of his statement in which he underlined that there were good dictators and bad dictators and that in the case of the prophet, he was using his power to uphold the principles of truth and justice.

Permadi's lawyers yesterday complained to judge Ismed Ilahoede, who is presiding over the case, that the authorities have slapped so much "excessive' security on Permadi that they have even had difficulties seeing their client.

"We appeal to the panel of judges to instruct the authorities to impose security in the correct proportions. We also appeal that we be given the chance to meet the suspect in the transit room before he is returned to his cell," asked HM Dault, who is leading the defense team.

The judge immediately approved the request and ordered the prosecution team to comply.

The court's third hearing continued to attract huge crowds that included students, fellow soothsayers, scholars, lawyers and some government officials.

The hearing was adjourned until Monday. (02/emb)