Luhut Present As Witness To The Trial Of Haris Azhar And Fatia, Journalists Limited To Enter The Courtroom

JAKARTA - The trial of the alleged defamation of the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan with the defendants Haris Azhar and Fatia Maulidiyanti was marked by pushing action between police officers and supporters of the two activists.

The push action took place when supporters of Haris Azhar and Fatia wanted to enter the East Jakarta District Court (Jaktim) area which was closely guarded by the police from the East Jakarta Police, Thursday, June 8.

Police officers do not allow anyone to enter the gates of the East Jakarta District Court. Even journalists who want to cover are limited to the trial of Haris Azhar and Fatia who presented Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan as witnesses.

As a result, traffic congestion in front of the East Jakarta District Court could not be avoided reaching two kilometers because many vehicle users slowed the speed of vehicles to see demonstrations carried out by supporters of Haris Azhar and Fatia.

Traffic congestion also occurred from the direction of Pondok Kopi crossing the Milling Flyover to Pulo Gebang.

Currently, the trial with the examination of witness Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan is still ongoing.

Director of Lokataru Haris Azhar and KontraS Coordinator Fatia Maulidiyanti were charged with defaming Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan's good name by the prosecutor.

The indictment was read out by the prosecutor during a trial held at the East Jakarta District Court, Monday, April 3.

The prosecutor stated Haris and Fatia's statement in a video uploaded through Haris' YouTube account that defamed Luhut.

The video is titled 'There is no Luhut behind Intan Jaya's economic-ops military relations!! There is also General BIN! What is discussed in the video is a quick study of the Coalition to Clean Indonesia with the title 'Military Placement Economics' in Papua: Intan Jaya Case'.

Haris and Fatia were charged with Article 27 paragraph 3 in conjunction with Article 45 paragraph 3 of the ITE Law, Article 14 paragraph 2 of Law Number 1 of 1946, Article 15 of Law Number 1 of 1946, and Article 310 of the Criminal Code concerning Insults.