Pirated VCD producers should be tried: Judge

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)