New evidence for Pakpahan appeal

JAKARTA (JP): New evidence will prove that labor leader Muchtar Pakpahan was not involved in a labor riot in Medan, North Sumatra, in April 1994, one of his supporters said yesterday

The Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union's secretary-general, Sunarti, said statements from new witnesses and other new evidence would be presented next month at a hearing in the East Jakarta District Court.

The hearing will decide whether Pakpahan's trial and appeals should be reviewed by the Supreme Court.

Pakpahan, who heads the unrecognized prosperous labor union, was found guilty in November 1994 of inciting the Medan riot. The Medan District Court sentenced him to three years imprisonment. The Medan High Court rejected his appeal and increased the sentence to four years jail.

Pakpahan was exonerated in September 1995 by a panel of Supreme Court judges led by Adi Andojo Soetjipto.

Another panel led by former chief justice Soerjono reviewed the case, annulled Adi's ruling and ordered Pakpahan to complete the original sentence.

Sunarti said the new evidence included statements from 25 of the unions branches indicating that they had received letters from the union's central board ordering branches not to stage any strikes between March 1994 and Oct. 18, 1994.

She said that in previous hearings Pakpahan had always denied his involvement in the riot and cited the letters as proof of this.

The Medan District Court's verdict, which was upheld by both the Medan High Court and the Supreme Court, stated that the panel of judges were unsure about the existence of the letters because no evidence had been presented about branches receiving the letters.

Sunarti said the hearing, which was due to begin last Monday, had been adjourned until next month because of Pakpahan's poor health. (05)