The editor of the Rakyat Merdeka Online faces criminal prosecution over his website’s publishing of the prophet Muhammad cartoons earlier this year.
Many syndicated reports in the international press, such as this one, state that Teguh Santosa’s lawyer claims that his client will shortly stand trial for insulting Islam, due to the Rakyat Merdeka online newspaper site having briefly displayed the famous cartoons, on February 2nd, 2006. Until time of writing no reports of this nature have appeared in the Indonesian language press.
Santosa has apparently formally been charged and will face trial within the next three weeks, his lawyer Syahroni said. He faces a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment if found guilty. He has been held in the Cipinang prison since 19th July while undergoing questioning.
The Committee to Protect Journalists has denounced the arrest and charges, as an attack on the freedom of the press. The Alliance of Independent Journalists, (Aliansi Jurnalis Independen ((AJI)), also voiced its concern, claiming that Teguh had not breached the journalists’ code of ethics.
Update 31st August
Teguh’s trial began on the 30th and he is charged under article 156a of the criminal code for blasphemy and inciting hatred. Prosecutors have demanded the maximum punishment, five years imprisonment.
Update 13th September
Teguh’s defence team had forwarded a note of “exception” to the continuation of the trial, more or less an attempt to have the trial cancelled and the charges thrown out. Today the court formally denied the exception and the trial will now continue as normal from 20th Sept.
Update 21st September
The judge has now it seems dismissed the charges against Teguh on somewhat technical grounds, saying that the grounds for the prosecution’s case could not be accepted, in terms of Articles 156a of the criminal code. The judge said that the defendant should in fact have been charged under Article 157. The prosecution is presently considering its options.
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note: I dont think RMO is a pro-western online tabloid.
I think they need to chill out a bit.
people do that all the time -i dont’ say that this is right or wrong- but what can you say, you just can’t stop people for doing stuff like that. The more you angry, for them – the better it is.