Prosecutors press for jail terms for students

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)