"After questioning him for four hours from 9am to 1pm we found strong evidence that he had committed libel," the director of crime investigation of the Yogyakarta Police Command, Senior Commissioner Kris Erlangga said.
George Junus Aditjondro who once stirred controversy with his book titled "Gurita Cikeas" (The Cikeas Octopus) that was critical of the government was considered having violated Article 156 of the Criminal Code on defamation of someone or institution.
"We did not arrest him because he is only facing less than five years in prison. But he is banned from travelling abroad," he said.
He said the police would immediately complete the dossiers for immediate submission to the prosecutor`s office for the further process of the case.
"Hopefully the dossiers could be submitted soon to the prosecutor`s office for the legal process of the case to be continued further," he said.
The Yogyakarta Community Forum (FMY) came to the Yogyakarta Police Command on December 1, 2010 to report George Junus Aditjondro they considered having insulted the Yogyakarta Palace by stating "it cannot be equalized with the British Kingdom because the Yogyakarta Palace is a mere "Keraton" (palace) meaning "kera ditonton" (a monkey to see).
He made the statement at a public discussion with a theme of "Studying the Sultan Ground/Pakualaman Ground under the Yogyakarta Special Region Status" at the Auditorium of the Faculty of Agriculture of the Yogyakarta-based state University of Gajahmada on November 30.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
