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)