Two journalists imprisoned for sowing hatred

Two journalists imprisoned for sowing hatred

JAKARTA (JP): Two journalists were sentenced to 32 months
imprisonment each yesterday after the Central Jakarta District
Court found them guilty of sowing hatred against the government
through a publication they helped publish and distribute.

Ahmad Taufik, 29, and Eko Maryadi, 27, were convicted under
article 154 of the Criminal Code and article 19 of the 1982 Press
Law.

Judge Madjono Widiatmadja, who presided over the trial, said
both men had spread hatred against the government through the
Independen bulletin, which they published and distributed.

"What the defendants did could have disturbed national unity
and sparked public unrest," Judge Madjono said in delivering his
verdict.

The government prosecutors had earlier demanded four years
imprisonment for each of the defendants.

The magazine, published by the Alliance of Independence
Journalists (AJI), contains articles very critical of the
government. Taufik and Eko, journalists by profession,
contributed to some of the articles. Taufik is AJI's chief and
Eko is its chief secretary.

The alliance was founded by a group of young journalists last
year in the wake of the government's decision to revoke the
license of three weekly news magazines. The government has
declared AJI an illegal organization, insisting that the law only
recognizes one umbrella for the journalistic profession -- the
Indonesian Journalists' Association (PWI).

Another AJI activist, 19-year-old Danang Kukuh Wardoyo, was
sentenced to 20 months imprisonment by the same court last week
for his role in helping distribute copies of Independen to
members of the public.

The three were arrested after they were seen handing out the
bulletin to guests at an AJI reception at the Wisata Hotel in
Jakarta last March.

Article 154 of the Criminal Code states that anyone who sows
hatred against the government is liable to prosecution with
maximum jail sentence of seven years.

Pandemonium

Article 19 of the 1982 Press Law refers to violations and
failures of journalists to observe the roles and functions
assigned to them by the legislation.

Pandemonium broke out in the court room as soon as Judge
Madjono finished reading his sentence, with supporters of the
journalists, who packed the gallery, accusing the judge of
lacking impartiality and of succumbing to government pressure.

An eyewitness said three protesters were taken away by police
officers. Chief of the Central Jakarta Police precinct, Lt. Col.
Murawi Effendi, later said only one protester was being held for
questioning.

Both Taufik and Eko told Judge Madjono that they would appeal
against the sentences.

"Despite distortions in the legal process in this country, I
will fight for my rights and for justice," Taufik said.

Judge Madjono in his verdict said that Taufik and Eko along
with other AJI members broke the 1982 press law by publishing
Independen without a press publication permit from the Ministry
of Information.

He also found the contents of the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th
editions of Independen -- which were presented as material
evidence during the trial -- as offensive to the government.

As AJI's president and chief secretary, Taufik and Eko must
bear responsibility for the publication of Independen, he
said.(29)

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