Pijar activist denies insulting Soeharto

Pijar activist denies insulting Soeharto

JAKARTA (JP): An activist facing four years in prison for
allegedly insulting President Soeharto denied all charges against
him in his defense statement at the Central Jakarta District
Court yesterday.

Tri Agus, an activist from the Pijar Foundation, said that he
just reported an Adnan Buyung Nasution comment in the NGO's Kabar
dari Pijar (News from Pijar) bulletin.

The insults were purportedly carried out via his articles,
which quoted a statement by human rights activist Adnan Buyung
Nasution about disorder in the country.

"Witness testimony proved that I just quoted Adnan Buyung
Nasution's statement," Tri Agus, who is also the editor of the
bulletin, told the judge. He reiterated that he was just
reporting the situation following the government's decision to
ban Tempo, DeTIK and Editor weeklies.

Kabar dari Pijar's June 1994 edition, which is being used by
the prosecutor to sue Tri Agus, reported several demonstrations
and meetings to protest the banning, including one held at the
office of the Legal Aid Institute (LBH).

Director of LBH Adnan Buyung Nasution, in his speech at the
meeting, criticized the government for carrying out the law by
force.

Expert witness Atmakusumah said in his testimony that editors
should not take responsibility for the content of statements made
by another person.

Saying that the prosecutor's charge was groundless, Tri Agus'
lawyer Bambang Widjayanto urged the judge to clear the defendant
of all charges.

Prosecutor Baginda Lumban Gaol demanded on Aug. 28 that Tri
Agus be sentenced to four years in prison for the alleged insult.

According to the prosecutor, Tri Agus has violated article 134
of the Criminal Code.

Under the law, anyone convicted under that article faces up to
six years imprisonment. (29)