Lawyers remind court that Permadi is Moslem
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)