Prita prepares 182-page defense against libel charge

Prita Mulyasari, a housewife and mother of two who is in court facing a six-month jail sentence for libel against doctors from Omni International Hospital, will read her defense statement at Tangerang District Court on Wednesday.

The trial session, presided by judge Arthur Hangewa, is scheduled to start at 10 a.m..

“We have prepared our defense. It's 182 pages long,” said Slamet Yuwono, a member of Prita's defense team.

Prita was treated at Omni hospital between Aug. 7 and 12 last year, where, after blood tests, doctors said she had to be admitted. As her condition worsened, Prita sought a second opinion at Bintaro International Hospital and later sent an email to her friends. The letter was later posted on the Internet and drew complaints from the management of Omni hospital.

Two weeks ago, state prosecutors demanded that Prita serve a six-month sentence, claiming that Prita's email sent to her friends had damaged public trust in those doctors and the hospital.