Pirated VCD producers should be tried: Judge
JAKARTA (JP): Pressure is mounting on the police to put producers and key distributors of pirated video compact discs (VCDs) on trial amid rampant VCD piracy.
West Jakarta District Court spokesman Sri Handojo said the district court tried many cases involving VCDs, but the trials did not touch on distributors and producers.
"We have prosecuted several street vendors selling pirated VCDs several times. But the court has never prosecuted either the producers or key distributors," he told The Jakarta Post at his office on Monday.
He said he did not know why the police did not arrest the producers and the distributors and bring them to court.
"It is the police's matter. The judges only prosecute criminal cases filed by the police," he said.
A prosecutor, Fernando Siagian, denied the allegation that prosecutors did not take the initiative to bring the producers and distributors to court.
"It's the authority of the police to arrest them and to make the dossiers," he told the Post separately.
"After the police complete the dossiers, then we'll file the dossiers at the court."
Fernando also denied the prosecutor's office did nothing despite rampant piracy.
"It's everyone's right to report the piracy to the police, and not only the office. The prosecutors and the police have different job descriptions."
He said stiff sentences were consistently imposed on convicted street vendors.
"We usually sentenced them to more than a year in jail, such as one year and three or four months in jail on average." He said the sentences should be heavier for the producers and key distributors.
Article 40 of the 1992 law on film stipulates that any trafficking or display of films lacking licenses issued by the Film Censorship Institute (LSF) is subject to a maximum five-year jail term.
Public attention has focused on the issue after Saturday morning's police raid on street vendors selling pirated VCDs in Glodok commercial district. The raid triggered widespread unrest in the area as vendors fought back against police officers.
Glodok has become a center for pirated VCDs.
Social observers said on Sunday the riot was triggered by the street vendors' dissatisfaction at discriminatory law enforcement.
Sardjono Jatiman and Adrianus Meliala said the police only targeted street vendors and excluded producers and distributors.
"The police have their own interests, and seldom uphold the law as the basis of their actions. For example, they will conduct raids once the distributors or producers don't pay bribes," said Adrianus.
Lawyer Henry Yosodiningrat supported the observers' statement, saying the piracy could be ended if the police were serious in bringing the producers and distributors to court.
"Pirated VCDs will continuously flow onto Jakarta's streets if the police do not eradicate the production of the VCDs," he said on Monday at the district court. (asa)