'No faults in handling of PRD leader'

'No faults in handling of PRD leader'

JAKARTA (JP): The Attorney General's Office has said that all
proper procedures were observed in the investigation of a
Democratic People's Party (PRD) leader accused of subversion.

Petrus Hariyanto, the PRD Secretary General, had written a
letter to Attorney General Singgih complaining that he had been
intimidated by his interrogators, including a military
intelligence officer who dropped in at one time.

Attorney General spokesman Suhartoyo said on Monday his office
has continued to uphold the principle of presumption of innocence
and that no coercion was used in the investigation.

He denied Petrus' claim that a military intelligence officer
had dropped in during one interrogation to intimidate the
suspect.

"The Attorney General's Office had checked with the
interrogation team and found that none of them had heard of the
military officer named in Petrus's letter," Suhartoyo said.

"The attorney general office would not let any other person to
walk in unannounced during a questioning," he said.

Petrus is one of 10 people charged with subversion and are
currently being interrogated by the Attorney General's Office in
connection with the bloody riot in Central Jakarta on July 27.

PRD chairman Bambang Sudjatmiko and labor leader Muchtar
Pakpahan, are also among the pack.

They have been accused of inciting the people to riot.

Petrus' lawyer, Irwan Irawan said yesterday he was present
when the military officer, Moestrisno, walked in during the
interrogation on Oct. 10. (26)