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Rights group vows to pursue ex-spy over murder
Human rights bodies have promised to fight for an appeal of former National Intelligence Agency (BNI) deputy chairman Muchdi Purwopranjono's acquittal for the murder of human rights campaigner Munir Said Thalib
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Human rights bodies have promised to fight for an appeal of former National Intelligence Agency (BNI) deputy chairman Muchdi Purwopranjono's acquittal for the murder of human rights campaigner Munir Said Thalib.
The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) chairman Usman Hamid on Saturday said the case should be President's Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's top priority.
"Yudhoyono said the Munir murder case would test whether Indonesia had changed in terms of its human rights history," Usman said during a discussion.
"The Kontras legal team will review the mistakes of previous trials. We hope to finish our work in two weeks," he added.
The South Jakarta District Court acquitted Muchdi from the assassination charge, leaving former Garuda Indonesia pilot Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto as the sole convict in the case. The Supreme Court sentenced Pollycarpus to 20 years' imprisonment.
On Friday, the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) revealed its plans to review the district court's verdict, saying the body suspected the verdict was a political machination of the BIN and law enforcers.
Former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, who also attended the discussion, slammed the verdict, saying it provided solid evidence of a court mafia within the country.
"Muchdi's acquittal shows that the military still rules the country. We know if SBY told the attorney general and National Police chief to start another investigation into the case, they would return to square one," he said.
Separately, Attorney General Hendarman Supandji confirmed that he would be summoned by the President over the verdict.
"Yes, later. Just wait," he said in short while attending a wedding reception of Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro's daughter, as quoted by detik.com.
Kontras and the Solidarity for Munir (Kasum) will open a hotline for information to allow the public to file reports on any information related to the Munir murder case.
The public can dial (021) 31904733 or send messages through email kontras@kontras.org and text messages at 08118122149.
