Prosecutors press for jail terms for students

JAKARTA (JP): Government prosecutors yesterday called for jail terms ranging between eight and 18 months for 15 students accused of defaming President Soeharto.

The stiffest sentences were sought for the two students most outspoken during the trial and during the protest at the House of Representatives (DPR) last December, which led to the charges against them -- Yeni Damayanti and Adi Kurniawan.

The prosecutors in two separate trials at the Central Jakarta District Court, demanded a one-year imprisonment for Hendrik Sirait, Masduki and Teddy Wibisono.

Ten others are facing eight-month jail demands. They are Piryadi, Munasir Huda, Saef Lukman Al Halaz, Yunus Kuslim, Sunandar, Toni Sinaga, Andrianto, Andi Hartono, Ferry Haryono Machsus and M. Farid Arsyad.

The students are being tried for defaming the President and the DPR during a protest rally, Dec. 4, 1993. Six other students from the same group are also on trial.

"During the trial, the students have shown little respect for the court and have also shown no remorse for their crimes," S.T. Silangit, one of the prosecutors, said of the students' attitudes.

While the trials proceeded on the second and third floor of the court building, about 100 colleagues of the students staged a demonstration calling the trial a farce.

"The political persecution of students is not the answer," read one banner. Police quickly stepped in to confiscate the banners and break up the protesters.

The commotion downstairs did not interrupt the trials upstairs. (07)