Malang – The chair of the Centre for Labour Struggle (PPBI) which is affiliated with the People's Democratic Party (PRD), Dita Indah Sari, is in intensive care at the Syaiful Anwar Hospital in Malang (East Java) suffering from typhoid. According to political activists close to her, Dita, who was sentenced to five years jail in the Sukun Women's prison in Malang for subversion, was first hospitalised last Saturday (15/11).

Because Dita's condition is very weak, the medical team have had to attach two intravenous drips. According to the team, her blood pressure is extremely high reaching 155 mmHg compared to a normal blood pressure of 110 mmHg and her temperature is 39 degrees Celsius. According to the team, day and night, Dita is delirious and frequently shouts in her sleep.

The security around Dita's room is very tight. Aside from two to three Malang police there are also guards from the Sukun Women's prison.

A SiaR correspondent and a number of journalists who tried to get permission to visit Dita were not allowed to enter [the hospital] without permission from the Sukun Women's prison and the head of the hospital.

"Without permission you cannot go in. Only Dita's family may visit" said Dita's guards.

The head of the Sukun Women's prison, Sri Hartati SH, who was contacted by SiaR, said that they are giving her the best possible treatment. "Dita is a good kid. We are trying to treat Dita as well as possible. Wipe her mouth, watch her if she is delirious, give her compresses and medicines", she said.

"Initially were tried to treat Dita ourselves [in the prison], but because here condition deteriorated we decided to send her to hospital, we were worried about her health if we delayed any longer" added Hartati.

She refused to answer when asked if it was possible that Dita's illness was a result of the conditions of her cell or that her prison rations not clean.

As reported previously, Dita's treatment at the Sukun Women's prison had resulted in protests by her family and lawyers because the prison did not respect her rights and applied discriminatory treatment against her. Dita is not allowed to receive [any outside] information, she is forbidden from reading newspapers, magazines, books or to watch television. To pass the time, Dita can only do embroidery.

[Translated by James Balowski]