Police snap to it with cases against magazines

JAKARTA (JP): Unlike work on other pressing cases, such as corruption, the National Police on Wednesday announced they had completed dossiers on Matra and Popular magazines in just a matter of weeks.

The magazines have had indecency charges leveled against them.

Col. Makbul Padmanagara of the General Crime Unit told reporters that the dossiers, in which the two magazines' chief editors Nano Riantiarno and Mujimanto are named as suspects, were handed over to the Central Jakarta Prosecutor's Office on Monday.

According to him, dossiers on Pop tabloid, Liberty magazine and Objektif tabloid will follow soon.

As with the first two magazines, the other three publications will be charged with indecency, with their chief editors named as suspects.

"The other dossiers will be completed soon," Makbul said.

The editors are charged under Article 282 of the Criminal Code pertaining to indecency. The article carries a maximum penalty of 18 months imprisonment and a fine of up to Rp 3,000 (less than 40 U.S. cents).

The fast work of the police in completing the dossiers raised eyebrows of members of the public, who are waiting impatiently for the police to investigate other important cases.

Detectives at the National Police Headquarters, also under public pressure to put a halt to the publication of pornographic material, began the probe into the five magazines and tabloids late last month.

After questioning several witnesses a few times, including models, photographers, editors and media experts, the police on July 6 formally charged editors of the five magazines and tabloids with indecency.

Among artists and top photo models who posed for the five publications and were questioned by the police are Sophia Latjuba and Inneke Koesherawati.

Most of those questioned admitted the pictures run by the media could be considered as indecent and in violation of ethics. Some of them admitted to being naked during photo sessions, but said their photos were mostly about artistic expression.

As of Wednesday, the police were still waiting for the arrival of television star Sarah Azhari for questioning in relation to the cases.

Her lawyer, Dwi Ria Latifa, said Sarah, who posed for the June edition of Matra, was in Europe and would soon leave France for Jakarta.

"She'll contact me to confirm her arrival," the lawyer said. (emf/bsr)