Jakarta – The defence lawyers in Muchtar Papahan's trial have requested that the presiding judge Djazuli P Sudibyo be changed in a protest letter dated January 29, 1996 signed by Adnan Buyung Nasution, Bambang Widjojanto, Mochamad Assegaf, Luthfie Hakim, and Dwi Ria Latifa.

The letter listed nine violations cited by the defense team including:

- "Alienating" the witness Berar Fathia because he rejected statements made in his Preliminary Investigation Report (BAP) while the witnesses Soetardjo and Ridwan Saidi who also rejected their BAPs were not "alienated".

- The judge threatened the accused right to speak saying "Once again if you keep speaking you will be removed"

- The judge violated courtroom ethics by referring to witness and the accused in terms which were denigrating such as "Hey", "that person" and the use of "you" in the familiar.

[Abridged translation - James Balowski]