Supreme Court Circular Prohibits Taking Of Pictures At Session

Supreme Court Building (Irvan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Supreme Court (MA), through the Director General of General Courts, has issued Circular Letter Number 2 of 2020 concerning Procedures for Attending Trials. One of the regulations is that it is enough to limit the work space for reporting journalists during the trial.

The circular, which was signed by Director General Prim Haryadi, dated February 7, 2020, is addressed to the High Courts and District Courts throughout Indonesia. In the rules of procedure, when the trial is in progress, visitors to the trial must sit politely and orderly in their respective places.

"Taking photos, sound recordings, TV recordings must have the permission of the Head of the District Court concerned," wrote in a Supreme Court circular, Wednesday, February 26.

Through this circular, the background is the problem of lack of orderly enforcement of rules in attending trials in district courts. The existence of this circular is expected to be able to uphold the spirit of the judiciary in the courtroom.

Another trial order is that the chairman of the panel of judges leads the examination and maintains order in the trial. Everything that is ordered by the chief judge of the panel to maintain order at trial must be carried out promptly and accurately.

"All people present at the trial are prohibited from activating their cellphones during the trial. In addition, visitors to the court are prohibited from entering the courtroom for unnecessary reasons," said one of the points in the circular.

Courts are asked to inform this rule, either through the website, board, banner, banner, or monitor at the district court.

The following is the contents of the Supreme Court circular letter regarding the Rules of Conduct which must be obeyed when attending a hearing:

1. Trials are open to the public for adults, except in cases of crimes of decency, crimes involving children and divorce hearings which are closed to the public.

2. During the trial, visitors to the trial must sit in an orderly manner in their respective places and maintain order in the trial.

3. Photographs, voice recordings, TV recordings must be taken with the permission of the Head of the District Court concerned.

4. Anyone is prohibited from carrying firearms, sharp weapons, explosives or tools or objects that may endanger the security of the trial.

5. Court security officers due to their duties of office may conduct body searches without a warrant to ensure and ensure that the presence of any person in court does not carry firearms, sharp weapons, explosives or tools or objects that could endanger the security of the trial.

6. Visitors to the court are prohibited from smoking, eating, drinking, reading newspapers, talking to each other or taking any actions that could interfere with the proceedings of the trial.

7. All persons present in the courtroom are prohibited from activating cell phones in the courtroom during the trial.

8. It is prohibited to make uproar both inside and outside the courtroom.

9. It is prohibited to speak, provide support or raise objections to the statements given by the witnesses during the trial.

10. Prohibited from entering the courtroom for unnecessary reasons because it interferes with the proceedings of the trial.

11. It is prohibited to post announcements / banners / writings or brochures in any form in the court environment without written permission from the Head of the District Court.

12. All persons present in the courtroom must wear appropriate and modest clothing and wear shoes.

In addition, in the trial, the chairman of the panel of judges 2 must ensure that the rules are implemented, namely:

1. Before the trial begins, the clerk, public prosecutor, legal counsel, parties and visitors to the trial, sit in their respective places in the courtroom.

2. When the judge enters and leaves the courtroom, the official who is in charge of protocol invites those present in the courtroom to stand up to respect the judge.

3. Everyone in the courtroom must display a polite and orderly attitude.

4. The chairman of the panel of judges shall lead the examination and maintain an orderly order in the trial.

5. The chairman of the panel of judges may determine that a child who has not reached the age of eighteen years is not allowed to attend the trial.

6. The presence of children in court is only possible as long as it is in accordance with the Law on Juvenile Criminal Justice System (SPPA).

7. Everything that is ordered by the chief judge of the panel to maintain order at trial must be carried out promptly and accurately.

8. A court visitor who acts not in accordance with the dignity of the court and does not comply with the rules and regulations, after receiving a warning from the chairman of the panel of judges, on his order, the person concerned will be removed from the courtroom.

9. In the event that the breach of order as referred to in number 7 is a criminal act, prosecution will be carried out against the perpetrator.

10. During the trial, everyone who goes in and out of the courtroom is obliged to pay respects to the assembly by nodding his head.