Terror at the courthouse

A lamentable incident occurred at the courthouse. It concerned not a defendant having difficulty finding justice, but defense lawyers who were ill-treated by the public. Petrus Bala Pattyona, a defense lawyer representing the men suspected of robbery and rape in Bekasi, was beaten, stoned and trampled on by members of the public after the pretrial inquiry at the Bekasi court of justice. Stones, bottles and pieces of wood also hit some of Petrus' colleagues of the Syaman Ritonga law firm.

We understand the public's anger towards the suspects. Acan was robbed and his wife and daughters were raped. In the context of the judiciary process, however, people must respect the principle of the presumption of innocence. As long as they have not been sentenced by the court, the suspects must be regarded innocent. This principle must be respected in order that people do not become the victims of arbitrary action.

It appears that some of us still do not understand the role of defense lawyers in the judiciary process. People were unable to restrain their emotions and hence to control their actions. Unless the security officers can guarantee the safety of the defense lawyers in the case of the robbery and rape, we agree with the suggestions made that the trial be moved from the Bekasi court of justice.

The judiciary process must not be hampered by acts of terror by the masses. The rights of all parties involved in the trial must be respected.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta