Ismira Lutfia – The widow of slain Sun TV journalist Ridwan Salamun has lobbied the Press Council and the Judicial Commission for justice following the acquittal earlier this month of three men accused of his murder.

Saodah Nurfi Toisutta, in a visit to Jakarta on Monday, pleaded with the council for help ensure that prosecutors lodged a timely appeal with the Supreme Court against the March 9 acquittal by the Tual District Court in Maluku province.

"The acquittal really breaks my heart," she told Press Council member Bekti Nugroho. "How could the defendants be acquitted as though taking my husband's life was the same as committing a petty crime?"

Ridwan was killed last August while covering a clash between residents of Fiditan village in Tual. In the murder trial, prosecutors only sought an eight-month sentence for the three defendants, arguing that they killed the journalist in self-defense.

However, footage from the clash showed Ridwan had a video camera with him at the time, and not a machete, as prosecutors claimed. Bekti said a witness in the case, presented by the National Commission for Human Rights (Komnas HAM), had verified the footage and testified that Ridwan was not armed.

"The verdict sends a message to the public about the country's legal system," Bekti said. "I wonder if the judges ever stopped to think about it."

He added the Press Council had joined forces with the media community to call on the Judicial Commission, which oversees the conduct of judges, to review the verdict.

Arif Harahap, regional coordinator for Sun TV, said his company and Saodah had submitted their own version of the case file to the Judicial Commission at an earlier meeting on Monday.

"The commission said it would review the case and contact the presiding judge," he said. "They'll use the files to identify any errors made during the investigation and court proceedings that led to the acquittal."

He added the clock was ticking for the prosecution to mount its appeal by Wednesday's deadline. "I'm just concerned they'll miss the deadline," Arif said. "If that's the case, maybe this was all rigged to put the case to rest."