Twenty-seven singers and groups held a seven-hour charity concert, attended by hundreds of volunteers and visitors, dedicated to Prita Mulyasari at the Hard Rock Cafe in Jakarta on Sunday.
The Kepedulian Orang Indonesia (KOIN) untuk keadilan (Indonesians Care for Justice) concert was aimed at expressing support for justice and freedom of expression.
"This concert shows musicians care about injustice," concert coordinator Adib Hidayat said.
Andra, another coordinator, said the concert was not meant to disparage Prita's trial, but was a message that "we don't want another Prita being victimized again."
Andra said neither the musicians nor the Hard Rock Cafe management team the were paid, a sign that solidarity still existed among Indonesians.
The concert was organized by coordinators from "Coins for Prita", a fund-raising movement to support Prita Mulyasari, the housewife facing defamation charges for complaining about Omni International Hospital via email.
Performers at the concert said they were willing to play because they had closely followed the Prita saga.
"This is a case where the law can be used against the people. I want to help through this concert," Sherina Munaf said.
Pop band Nidji, who endorse cigarettes, composed an untitled song for Prita.
"We were inspired after hearing her speak of her pain at being separated from her children and her prayers when she was released from jail," said Giring, the vocalist of Nidji, the band that endorses cigarettes.
At 9 p.m., Prita appeared on stage to receive a Rp 825 million (US$86,842) donation.
Expressing her gratitude for the concert as well as the donation, Prita said she didn't know what to do with the money.
"I'd like to donate to foundations protecting humanitarian causes," she said, adding that she hadn't determined the foundation as she was still focused on her trial,
Prita faces a criminal charge, despite the hospital having dropped its civil suit.
Prita said her refusal to apologize and settle out of court was not due to arrogance.
"If I apologize it means I declare myself guilty. It can be used against me in the trial," she said.
