Police rule out politics in reporters' arrest

Police rule out politics in reporters' arrest

JAKARTA (JP): National Police Chief Gen. Banurusman
Astrosemitro ruled out political motives behind the arrest of two
journalists charged with trespassing.

"The case is purely criminal and the police are treating it
accordingly," Banurusman told The Jakarta Post in the Central
Java capital of Semarang yesterday.

He was commenting on last week's arrest of journalists
Victoria I.G. Sijabat and Yul Adriansyah from the current affairs
magazine Sinar. The two have been charged with trespassing at the
residence of Rachmawati Soekarnoputri in Cilandak, South Jakarta.

The journalists were collecting evidence on reports that she
was dating police officer Lt. Col. Benny Sumarno, which has
allegedly wrought havoc on her marriage to Dicky Suprapto.

Police said the journalists' dossiers will be transferred to
the court in the near future unless Rachmawati, a daughter of the
late president Sukarno, withdraws her complaint.

Speculation has it that the arrests and the publicity
surrounding Rachmawati's marriage life are part of a "third
party's" efforts to blemish the Sukarno reputation.

Rachmawati, 44, and Dicky Suprapto, 54, have filed for a
divorce with the local religious court, each accusing the other
of having an affair.

"Let me state that there are no political motives behind the
arrests," Banurusman said.

The Sukarnos' political clout has been strengthened since the
election of Megawati Soekarnoputri, his eldest daughter, as chair
of the Indonesian Democratic Party in 1993.

Banurusman said that the authorities had no intention of using
the arrest to politically undermine the Sukarnos.

On Monday, the Jakarta branch of the Association of Indonesian
Journalists (PWI) formed a team of lawyers to defend the two
reporters as requested by Sinar's chief editor.

The reporters face a maximum term of imprisonment of nine
months and/or a maximum fine of Rp 4,500 (US$2) if they are found
guilty.

In a related development, the Jakarta branch of the Legal Aid
Foundation (LBH) criticized the city police yesterday for
"hastily" charging the journalists.

Chairman of the LBH office, Luhut MP Pangaribuan, said that
the police should have handed over the reporters to PWI's
honorary council before detaining them for questioning.

If members of the council later find enough evidence that
shows that the two have violated the press code and other
existing rules then they will be transferred back to the police
for further questioning.

The city police are still completing their case and still
questioning several other witnesses. The interrogators yesterday
questioned Dicky as one of the key witnesses. (bsr/har)