FPI demands judge be replaced

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Fri, 01/05/2007 2:36 PM

JAKARTA: Angered by the court's decision to close the trial of Playboy Indonesia chief editor Erwin Arnada to the public, Islamic hard-liners Thursday demanded the replacement of the presiding judge.

""The judge has not been consistent. The proceeding was previously open to the public,"" Sugito, of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), said at the South Jakarta District Court, where a protest was staged.

He said the FPI wrote to the Judicial Commission, complaining of alleged ""misconduct"" by presiding judge Efran Basuning. ""We will also send a similar letter to the Supreme Court,"" he said.

The Criminal Code rules that indecency trials are closed to the public while witnesses' testimonies are being heard, but are open when defendants are being indicted.

Court spokesman Johannes Suhandi defended the decision to close the trial to the public, citing the legal grounds on which it was made.

""Let's just see what will happen,"" Johannes said, responding to the demand for the replacement of Efran.

Hard-line Muslims have loudly protested the publication of the adult magazine since its first release in April, calling it a global icon of pornography. --JP

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