Indonesia's Prisoners

V. RELEASED PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE

Since coming to power, President Habibie has released four prisoners and indicated that others may be released. On 25 May, Muchtar Pakpahan and Sri Bintang Pamungkas were both released from Cipinang Prison in Jakarta and their sentences were commuted. Muchtar Pakpahan, 44, was the head of the independent Indonesian Prosperity Trade Union (Serikat Buruh Sejahtera Indonesia or SBSI). He was serving a four-year prison sentence for "incitement" and was on trial for subversion and spreading hatred toward the government. Sri Bintang Pamungkas, former member of parliament for the United Development Party (Partai Persatuan Pembangunan or PPP), was convicted of insulting the President for comments made during a lecture at a German university in 1995. Sentenced to two years and ten months' imprisonment in 1996, he remained free pending an appeal. In 1997, however, following his founding of a new political party, the United Indonesian Democratic Party (Partai Uni Demokrasi Indonesia or PUDI), he was arrested and charged with subversion. His trial was ongoing at the time he was released.

Two others were released on May 28, Nuku Soleiman and Andi Syahputra. Nuku Soleiman, an activist with the Pijar organization, was convicted of insulting the head of state after a demonstration against the state lottery in December 1993. At the demonstration in front of the presidential palace in Jakarta, Nuku distributed stickers with the slogan, "Suharto, mastermind of all disasters." He was sentenced to four years' imprisonment in 1994, a sentence that was later increased to five years, and was due for release in December 1998. Andi Syahputra, 32, a printer, was arrested in October 1996, when police confiscated 3,000 copies of an issue of the underground magazine, Suara Independen (Independent Voice). The magazine contained several articles that the government found offensive. In April 1997, Syahputra was convicted of insulting the president and spreading hatred and was sentenced to two years and eight months imprisonment.

On June 2, two activists in Pekalongan were acquitted. Saddam Husein bin Munaris, 30, and Suhardi bin Acwan, 27, had been detained for four months, suspected under Article 154 of "spreading hatred" toward the government by establishing the People's Committee of Pekalongan. The Committee had called for President Suharto to step down, reform of the political system, and improvement of the economy.