JAKARTA: A Constitutional Court (MK) hearing began Wednesday involving a motion filed by eight chief editors against seven articles in the 2008 legislative election law, which they say violate freedom of the press as enshrined in the Constitution.

The plaintiffs from dailies Warta Kota, Sinar Harapan, Suara Merdeka, Terbit and tabloid Cek&Ricek have said they consider the articles a threat to the freedom of press act because they allow the Broadcasting Commission and Press Council to revoke media licenses as action against the impartial representation of political parties.

The plaintiffs' lawyer, Torozatulo Mendrofa, said the articles also created legal uncertainty, as the 1999 press law banned any move to curtail the press, including publication bans and the revocation of media licenses.

However, the panel of justices asked the plaintiffs to review their petition and submit it within the next two weeks, saying it did not clearly present the contradiction between the election law and the press law. -- JP

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