Supreme Court drops activists' appeals

Supreme Court drops activists' appeals

SURABAYA (JP): The Supreme Court has upheld a lower court's
sentences on youth activists Dita Indahsari and Coen Husein
Pontoh who were convicted of subversion earlier this year.

The Surabaya District Court spokesman, Ismed, said yesterday
that the court had yet to receive the Supreme Court's official
statement concerning the matter. His office was informed of the
ruling through a telegram.

"The telegram states that Dita's and Pontoh's appeals have
been rejected for a variety of reasons," Ismed said without
elaborating.

The Surabaya district court sentenced Dita and Pontoh, members
of organizations affiliated to the outlawed Democratic People's
Party (PRD), to six and four years imprisonment respectively for
instigating labor unrest and sowing public hatred against the
government.

The High Court reduced Dita's sentence by a year and Pontoh's
by six months.

The activists' lawyer, Trimoelja D. Soerjadi, told The Jakarta
Post that he was not surprised by the Supreme Court's decision.

"In a political trial such as this, it seems that every
outcome can always be predicted," he said.

The court said Dita and Pontoh had undertaken their campaign
among workers last year. It allegedly peaked in a strike by
10,000 workers from 10 factories in the industrial area of Tandes
near Surabaya on July 7 last year.

Another PRD activist, M. Soleh, was sentenced here separately
to four years of imprisonment, also for subversion.

Five PRD leaders were sentenced in April by the Central
Jakarta District Court to between seven and 13 years
imprisonment.

Chairman Budiman Sudjatmiko received the stiffest term. The
other four convicted activists are Garda Sembiring, Yakobus Eko
kurniawan, Ignatius Damianus Pranowo and Suroso. (nur/10)