Jayapura – During the reading of defense speeches at the Jayapura District Court on Wednesday July 19, four of the defendants charged over the Abepura riots that resulted in the death of four police officers and an Indonesian airforce officer have retracted the statements made in their interrogation reports.

Triono Wahyu Sudibyo, Semarang – Among the convicts interned at the Nusakambangan Correctional Institution, it’s likely that Hutomo Mandala Putra alias ‘Tommy’ Suharto is the most fortunate. Sentenced to 15 years jail, every year he consistently gets extraordinarily large remissions.

AK-42, Bireuen – The public flogging of nine convicted gamblers, which took place on the grounds of the Bireuen Grand Mosque on Friday September 9, failed to attract spectators.

Medan – Punishment in the form of public floggings (hukum cambuk) for Muslims who violate Islamic law in Aceh will soon be implemented.

Ayu Cipta-Tempo, Jakarta – Bay Harkat Jonday Firdaus, a sixth semester English literature student from the faculty of culture and humanities at the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN) in Ciputat, South Jakarta, could face 10 months jail for insulting the head of state.

“The Supreme Court will deal with corrupt government officials on the sole basis they were carrying out the orders of a superior”.

Jakarta – Although deliberation by the panel of judges on the case of Akbar Tanjung only began yesterday, six organisation held a demonstration in front of the supreme court in relation to the case of [the embezzlement of] non-budgetary funds by the general chairperson of the Golkar Party on Tuesday February 3.

The greatest obstacle to upholding the law in Indonesia is located in the capacity and resoluteness of law enforcement agencies in the enforcement of legislation, rather than the need to compliment or clarify existing legal instruments.

Maryadi, Jakarta – A class action by the People’s Lawyers Union (Serikat Pengacara Rakyat, SPR) against President Megawati Sukarnoputri over the declaration of a military emergency in Aceh has been adjourned again.

Nurul Hidayati, Jakarta –- The presidential decree authorising a military emergency in Aceh is being challenged by the People’s Lawyers Union (Serikat Pengacara Rakyat, SPR).