Prosecuters seek prison term in college harassment case

JAKARTA (JP): Public prosecutors demanded yesterday that the South Jakarta district court sentence a rector of a private institute to one year in prison for sexual harassment.

"Cases of sexual harassment have lately become an issue that elicits the concern ofmany people around the world, and this one needs special attention from us," Prosecutor Harun M. Hussen said at the beginning of the indictment.

Harun told the court that Ali Mochtar Hoetasoehoet, 65, rector of the Institute of Social and Mass Communication Sciences (IISIP) had sexually harassed two female staff members.

"All the evidence presented to court has shown that the rector had sex with his subordinates during the period of 1984 to 1991, violating Article 294 of the Criminal Code," said Harun.

The plaintiffs, Dyah Bintarini and Hanny A. Peggy, were both present at yesterday's trial, among over one hundred observers who were apparently divided into two opposing groups -- one in favor of the defendant, the other against him.

Three prosecutors from the South Jakarta prosecutor's office, Harun M. Hussen, Uri Hasan Basri and Riemenda J. Ginting, took turns reading the 128-page indictment for nearly four hours.

A.M. Hoetasoehoet who was accompanied by his lawyers, Maruli Simorangkir and Petrus Bala Pattyona, stayed calm during the four-hour session, and shook his head while listening to the description of sexual acts by the prosecutors.

Harun told the court that Hoetasoehoet had sexually abused Dyah Bintarini eight times in his office and other places, including the institute's library, where Dyah used to work, during the period of March 1987 to July 1991.

Hanny B. Peggy was said to have been sexually harassed 15 times in a similar manner in her rented room and in various rooms at the institute from May 1984 to June 1991.

Nearly all of the incidents were explained in detail during the reading of the indictment, causing a stir and giggles from the observers.

Harun said what implicated the defendant was that he did not answer questions honestly at previous sessions but beat around the bush, trying to cover up his wrong doing, acted arrogantly and showed no remorse.

The trial was adjourned until May 28, to hear the defense statement from Hoetasoehoet's lawyers. (11)