INDONESIA: Editor of 'Playboy Indonesia' faces two-year jail term

Some conservatives say sentence isn't harsh enough for publishing pornography

The Jakarta Post
Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Jakarta ---  Editor of Playboy Indonesia Erwin Arnada faces two-year imprisonment for violating moral norm by publishing porn pictures and articles.

Meanwhile, some 150 protesters from the Indonesian People Forum (MUI), expressed their disappointment over the charge, which they said was too light.

Elshinta news radio reported that Prosecutor Resni Muchtar told the hearing that Erwin was proven guilty for publishing porn pictures and writing materials.

"He was found guilty for violating moral norm that spark people unrest," Resni said during a hearing in South Jakarta District Court Tuesday, adding that Erwin violated article 282 of the Criminal Code with two years and eight months of maximal punishment.

A number of organizations reported Erwin and several Playboy crew members for publishing the magazine, which use the American porn magazine as its trade mark.

The Indonesian edition of the magazine, however, featured no nudes and was less risque than other local and international magazines already for sale in Indonesia.

The row over the emergence of Playboy was a part a larger debate in Indonesia over the extent that Islam should play in public life. The country is traditionally moderate, but in recent years it has seen the emergence of a vocal conservative fringe.

Most of its critics say that the name of the magazine alone is grounds for the government to ban it.

Judges gave Erwin and his lawyer to draft their defense up to March 22.

Date Posted: 3/13/2007