Top lawyers' team defends opposition figures' statement
Top lawyers' team defends opposition figures' statement
JAKARTA (JP): The Defense Lawyers Team for Indonesian
Democracy insisted on Saturday that its clients, charged of
trying to topple President B.J. Habibie's government, were
innocent.
The team's spokesman, Max Junus Lamuda, said at a media
conference there were no legal grounds that would lead to a
conviction.
"After accompanying our clients in questioning by the police,
we have concluded that their actions cannot be categorized as
treason," Lamuda said.
"What they did does not qualify for invoking Articles 110 and
107 of the Criminal Code, as charged by the police," he said.
Articles 107 and 110 on treason both carry maximum penalties
of life imprisonment.
Lamuda said their clients' actions were part of their
political awareness to help restore the economy and the political
situation.
A group of political activists issued a "joint communique" on
Nov. 12, calling for an end to Habibie's government and the
establishment of a presidium to replace the current government.
They also rejected the results of the recent Special Session of
the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR). Some student groups
have also voiced similar sentiments.
Supriyanto, a member of the team, said they would, therefore,
demand the National Police chief issue an order to end the
investigation into his clients. However, late on Saturday, the
police picked up for questioning another signatory to the
communique, Adityo Hanafie.
One of Adityo's lawyers, Petrus Bala Pattyona, confirmed his
client was picked up by the police and said he was still
undergoing additional questioning on Sunday after he answered at
least 30 questions earlier.
Adityo, a French citizen since 1968, was arrested just as he
was about to leave for France through Soekarno-Hatta
International Airport. He was rushed to the National Police
Headquarters and was questioned for six hours.
Petrus claimed the police had directed their interrogation
toward the possibility of Adityo violating immigration laws
rather than the treason charge alone.
"My client is here for personal reasons, visiting relatives
who live on Jl. Muhammad Yamin. Last night the police kept
questioning him about the reason (for his visit) and what his
activities were while here," Petrus said.
Regarding the declaration, Petrus said Adityo was asked by an
old friend, Johny M. Hidayat, one of the suspects, to sign the
communique.
Adityo agreed because he thought the declaration would be for
the betterment of the country, according to Petrus.
Meanwhile, Supriyanto said the Defense Lawyers Team for
Indonesian Democracy's clients were former chief of the Army
Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) Lt. Gen. Achmad Kemal Idris,
Megawati's younger sister Sukmawati Soekarnoputri, deputy
treasurer of Megawati's PDI faction Meilono Suwondo, economist
Sri Edi Swasono and soothsayer Permadi Satrio Wiwoho.
Other signatories of the communique who have been questioned
by police investigators are former Jakarta governor Marine Lt.
Gen. (ret) Ali Sadikin, politician Johny M. Hidayat, University
of Indonesia Alumni (ILUNI) chairman Hariadi Dharmawan, ILUNI
executive M. Haryono Kartohadiprodjo, Pribadyo S., Roch Basoeki
Mangoenpoerojo and Koen Soekarno.
Signatories Oerip Hartono, Budi Saronto, P.K. Haryo Sudirja
and Waskito have yet to appear for questioning.
None of the suspects were detained by the police.
The Ministry of Justice's Directorate General of Immigration
has reportedly slapped a travel ban on seven of the suspects.
(imn/emf)