Jakarta – Peoples Democratic Party (PRD) activist, Garda Sembiring at the Central Jakarta Court on Tuesday (11/3), withdrew all of this "testimony" [quotes added - JB] on Budiman Sudjatmiko in his Preliminary Investigation Report (BAP). He also refused to become a witness against Budiman.

"I am not ready to be witness. I withdraw all of my testimony from my BAP. Because when I was questioned, I was not accompanied by a lawyer. [It is] my right to withdraw myself as a witness in this trial", he said.

The court had planned to present PRD members as witnesses in a number of trials however of six of these, three from Surabaya and three from Jakarta, were not able to attend because of the tight schedule of their own trials.

The judge had already warned Garda that if a person refuses to be a witness they could be punished but Garda answered "In accordance with article 168 of the Indonesian Criminal Code it states that a witness who is also on trial may withdraw themselves [as a witness - JB]", he said.

The accused in the subversion case against the General Secretary of the PRD, Petrus Hari Haryanto and his lawyers carried out a "walk out" in the South Jakarta State Court (10/3) following the reading of witnesses testimonies by the public prosecutor Slamet Soebagio without the witnesses being present.

"We protest to the court because already many times the testimony of witness on the activities of the accused have been read by the public prosecutor" said Petru's lawyer to the press.

[Abridged translation from Kompas - JB]