Riot defendants claim police duped them over rights

JAKARTA (JP): More people on trial in connection with the July 27 riots in Central Jakarta said yesterday that police duped them into waiving their right to legal counsel.

Noval Arafah, one of 64 people tried in the Central Jakarta District Court, said he was told by police investigators that the presence of lawyers "would only make their case more difficult".

"We signed the statement after the police officers promised us we would be released," 25-year old Noval told the court, referring to incriminating statements in which he and other defendants waived their right to legal counsel.

Similar claims were made last week at the hearing of 60 other people tried for the riot.

The defendants and their lawyers urged the court to dismiss the cases on the grounds that the arrests and interrogations violated Criminal Code Procedures.

Prosecutors insisted that the suspects' rights had been fully observed and that they had knowingly waived their right to a lawyers presence during the interrogation.

Yesterday, prosecutors urged the court to continue the hearing, saying they have a strong legal case and that most objections raised by the defendants and their lawyers were matters that should be proven in court.

The 64 suspects, tried in five groups, have been charged with assault resulting in bodily harm, and damage to property.

They are among the 124 people being tried in connection with the July 27 riots. They were all supporters of Megawati Soekarnoputri, the ousted chairperson of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI). The riots erupted while they were defending the PDI headquarters from being taken over by supporters of Soerjadi, the officially recognized PDI chief.

Trimedya Panjaitan, one of the lawyers for the defendants, urged the judges to clear the courtroom of police and other security officers, whose presence was intimidating his clients.

The trials have been heavily guarded by police and security officers some of whom carry rattan sticks and other firearms.

Judge Madyono, who presided over one of the five trials yesterday, said he would see how the next hearing proceeds before making any decision. "If the hearing proceeds peacefully, we will order the police officers to leave the courtroom," he said.

Lawyer Trimedya appealed to the judges to release his clients to house arrest so they could return to work and earn a living. The request was noted by the judge.

The hearings were adjourned until Thursday.

In another development, a group of PDI leaders loyal to Megawati visited the Jakarta Police yesterday, calling for an investigation into the actions of the 200 Soerjadi supporters who forced their way into the PDI headquarters on July 27.

Alex Litaay, Megawati's secretary general, said police should heed the National Commission on Human Rights report which said the riot was started by Soerjadi's supporters. (16)