Prosecutor rejects house arrest request of Ratna Sarumpaet's lawyers

The Public Prosecutor (JPU) has rejected the request of the defendant to place Ratna Sarumpaet under house arrest. Sarumpaet has been accused of spreading false news.

"We rejected the defendant's request," the JPU, Payaman, told the panel of judges at the trial taking place at the South Jakarta District Court on Thursday.

The prosecutor said that he would only reject the request verbally.

"We do not know why the prosecutor refused the request, as the reason was not conveyed," said Bilhuda, one of the attorneys of the defendant.

Bilhuda said the reason for asking that the defendant be placed under house arrest was because the defendant was old and sick.

Currently, the team of attorneys are still awaiting a decision by the panel of judges regarding the defendant's house arrest.

Fahri Hamzah was mentioned as one of the guarantors of the defendant.

Ratna's team of attorneys claimed that before going to trial, the defendant had undergone a health check-up.

At present, the defendant is being detained at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police's detention house.