Justice for the just: Prita Mulyasari (center) embraces her sister after the Tangerang District Court acquitted her Tuesday of defamation charges filed by Omni International Hospital. JP/Multa Fidrus
Prita Mulyasari dropped to her knees Monday, kissed the ground and burst into tears after the Tangerang District Court acquitted her of all charges in a contentious defamation case brought by Omni International Hospital.
“Allah has heard and granted my prayers through the decision of the panel of judges,” the 31-year-old housewife and mother of two said, bowing to journalists.
“Allah has also heard the prayers of the many people supporting me.”
She thanked the unprecedented outpouring of public support in the cyber world and the media as key in getting the sought-after acquittal in the high-profile case.
“We, the panel of judges, beg to differ with prosecutors,” said presiding judge Arthur Hangewa.
“The email that Prita sent to her friends contained nothing defamatory about Omni International Hospital’s doctors.”
Prita’s email, in which she complained of receiving poor service while hospitalized at Omni between Aug. 7 and 12 last year, should have been viewed by the hospital as feedback, not defamation, the judges ruled.
“Therefore we acquit Prita of all charges,” Arthur added.
He said the charges against Prita, filed under Article 340 of the Criminal Code, did not apply because the email was sent out to several people and thus constituted a work of public interest.
The court also noted Prita’s objections to the charges on the grounds her complaints about poor service and being misdiagnosed were legitimate.
The judges also dropped the charges of defamation based on the contentious electronic information law, and based their verdict on the Criminal Code.
In response, prosecutors Riyadi and Rachmawati Utami asked the court for a two-week period to decide whether to appeal.
Prita’s defense team, represented by Slamet Yuwono, said the court had sided by the public’s sense of justice in its ruling.
He added Prita was now open for an amicable settlement in the civil suit filed by Omni.
“She has already been proven innocent in the criminal case, so we are now willing to resolve the civil suit with Omni,” he said.
Over at the House of Representatives, meanwhile, Irgan Khairul Magfis, a legislator from Commission IX, which oversees health issues, said the court’s verdict indicated Omni had been wrong to press charges.
“We appreciate the court’s decision. It shows Omni’s approach toward its former patient has backfired,” he said.
Prita had been arrested after the hospital filed charges of defamation against her, following the cropping up of her complaints on mailing lists and blogs.
This drew waves of popular support for Prita, ranging from a Facebook group to blogs and online discussions decrying the injustice she faced.
Omni filed civil and criminal suits, the latter of which has now fallen resoundingly flat.
The hospital had earlier also moved to drop the civil suit, but the Tangerang District Court insisted on moving ahead with the case, saying it was already underway.
Prita lost the civil suit at the district and later high court, and was ordered to pay Omni Rp 204 million.
