Reuters, Jakarta, Monday, Jan 31, 2011:
An Indonesian pop star whose sex tapes with his celebrity girlfriends
spread wildly on the internet was jailed on Monday for three and a
half years, in a case that led to a wide crackdown on Internet porn in
the country.
The trial highlighted a divide between a youthful Indonesia set
against censorship on the internet and conservative pressure groups in
the world's most populous Muslim country who rallied outside the court
demanding a harsher penalty.
Nazril "Ariel" Irham, 30, was jailed under a controversial pornography
law, which was passed in 2008 to ban public displays of nudity and
behaviour that could incite lust.
"The defendant is legitimately and convincingly guilty of giving
chances for others to spread, make and provide pornography," said
judge Singgih Budi Prakoso in a west Javan court where 1,000 police
tried to control a rowdy crowd.
Police said earlier a friend of Irham's had taken the sex tape off his
computer and posted it on the Internet. Irham denied it was him on the
tape.
The crowd at the court included teenaged female fans of Irham's band,
Peterpan, wearing T-shirts with the word "freedom", and skullcap- and
headscarf-wearing members of Islamic groups.
Members of both groups were angered by the verdict. Irham was also
fined 250 million rupiah ($27,692).
Under the pornography law, anyone who produces, makes, copies,
circulates, broadcasts, offers, trades, loans or provides pornography
can be jailed for between six months and 12 years and can be fined up
to six billion rupiah ($665,900).
The law was seen by many as a step back in democratic and officially
secular Indonesia, where foreign investors are hoping for more
openness and pro-market reforms to increase its allure as an emerging
market investment destination.
After the Irham case blew up, Communications and Information Minister
Tifatul Sembiring, of the Islamic PKS party, called for tighter
internet controls, including requiring providers to stop access to
pornography or browsing services could be closed.
Research in Motion, makers of the popular Blackberry telephone and
messaging system, said two weeks ago it would comply with the
government's order to block access to pornographic sites via its
devices.
"What is an issue here is not Ariel, but rights supporters versus
morality enforcers. Tough choice: porn star or oppressors?" said
political commentator Wimar Witoelar on Twitter.
