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National scene: Poet arrested for libel
Police in Yogyakarta on Wednesday arrested poet and activist Saut Situmorang following a spat with fellow writer Fatin Hamama
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olice in Yogyakarta on Wednesday arrested poet and activist Saut Situmorang following a spat with fellow writer Fatin Hamama.
Fatin reported Saut to the police for libel following the latter's comment on popular social media platform Facebook that referred to Fatin as a scoundrel.
Saut was arrested at his home in Mantrijeron, Yogyakarta.
Saut said he was taken to the police station as a witness in the case.
'I am ready to face questioning. But why should I be taken to Jakarta?' he said, responding to the police's move to bring him to the capital for further interrogation.
Saut's spat with Fatin began with the publication of a book on the 33-most influential literary figures in the country, which included Denny JA of the polling institute Indonesian Survey Circle (LSI). Denny has never been known as a writer and his inclusion on the list sparked controversy in the country's literary scene.
Saut accused Fatin, a little-known figure in the country's literary scene, of being a broker who came up with the idea to publish the book.
