[Kabar-indonesia] 'Rakyat Merdeka' editor to go on trial over Muhammad cartoon

[JoyoNews at aol.com]

Editor to go on trial over publishing cartoon of Muhammad 

JAKARTA, July 21 (AP): An Indonesian newspaper editor will stand trial on 
charges of offending Islam for publishing a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad last 
year, his lawyer said Friday.

Teguh Santosa, chief editor of Rakyat Merdeka's online edition, said he 
published the cartoon to illustrate a story on the controversy surrounding the 
drawings, which first appeared ina Danish newspaper. He took the image off the Web 
site in less than a day after people complained.

"We just wanted to let people know about the cartoons, which were being 
strongly protested at that time," Teguh told The Associated Press. "I believe I am 
innocent and ready to face trial."

Teguh has been formally charged and will face trial within the next three 
weeks, his lawyer Syahroni said. He faces a maximum penalty of five years 
imprisonment if found guilty, said Syahroni, who goes by a single name.

The 12 cartoons, first published in Denmark's Jyllands- Posten daily in 
September, were reprinted by dozens of newspapers and Web sites in Europe and 
elsewhere, often in the name of freedom of expression.

The paper said it published the drawings to challenge what it perceived as 
self-censorship among artists dealing with Islamic issues. Islamic law is 
interpreted to forbid any depiction of the Prophet Muhammad for fear it could lead 
to idolatry.

Muslims worldwide denounced the drawings, one of which showed Muhammad 
wearing a bomb-shaped turban. Furious anti-Danish protests spread across the Muslim 
world and rioters torched Danish embassies.

Protests in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, were small 
and largely peaceful. 

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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