Transcript
Veronica Koman: The judges demanded the prosecutors to bring expert witness to the trial and we the lawyers for KNPB also agree that that is the best way to proceed. The judges also highlight that the persecutors failed to bring expert witness on the previous treason cases, at least two previous cases who were also KNPB members. And I think that's particularly important because early last year, the Indonesian Constitutional Court already made a judgment about the judicial review on treason laws. And on that decision, the court said that this treason law is indeed problematic in its implementation by the law enforcement officers.
Mackenzie Smith: Can you give us a refresh on how these guys came to be charged in the first place?
VK: So, on the 31st of this December 2018, so KNPB were going to hold a prayer event and also the traditional cooking fest event known as a bakar batu, and just that just, it's just praying event and traditional events celebrating fifth year anniversary of their secretariat building. But before it took place, the police and military officers came and just like really destroyed the secretariat building, arresting people and also, they illegally occupied the secretariat building until now and that is our civil lawsuit, about illegally occupying the secretariat building without any legal basis and taking it over as joint security forces pose.
MS: Given the seriousness of these charges are you worried that these men could get life imprisonment or a serious sentence?
VK: I don't know yet but Stephen Italy three years ago, he was also charged with treason for leading a praying event. It was quite light sentence, but I think that in principle, it doesn't matter whether it's light or heavy imprisonment sentence but it's in principle, why are people praying then charged with reason? It just doesn't make any sense.
