Indonesian court acquits editor of Playboy Indonesia

Apr 5, 2007, 6:51 GMT

Jakarta - An Indonesian district court on Thursday acquitted the editor-in-chief of the Indonesian edition of Playboy magazine, who was accused of violating anti-indecency laws.

Prosecutors had demanded a two-year prison term for Erwin Arnada, 42, the editor of the US-based publication, arguing he oversaw photo shoots and the distribution of indecent pictures and made money from them.

Arnada had argued that the magazine was good for developing a pluralistic society, while the prosecutors said he had 'harmed the nation's morals,' an argument backed by Islamic hardliners who regularly attended his high-profile trial.

Chief Judge Erfan Basyuning of the South Jakarta District Court said pictures of scantily dressed women, some in underwear with their breasts partially exposed, under the criminal laws, 'could not be categorized as pornography.'

The court's decision to clear Arnada stunned hundreds of Islamic hardliners at the court.

As they stepped out the courtroom, many of the Muslim militants were chanting 'Allahu Akbar,' or 'God is Great,' but there were no reports of violence.

Security was tight during Thursday's hearing. The Jakarta city police deployed more than 600 officers, while water cannons were stationed outside the court building, the state-run Antara news agency reported.

Hundreds of Muslim activists, including Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir - accused by Western countries to be the spiritual leader of the al-Qaeda-linked regional terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah - had previously expressed their disappointment when the prosecutors sought a two-year prison term for Ernada, arguing that the prosecution demand was 'too lenient.'

Playboy was first published in April 2006 in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, with an edition specially designed to conform to local customs. It sparked harsh opposition from religious groups and conservative government officials.

Unlike its American version and editions in dozens of other countries, Indonesian Playboy contains no nudity.

Rock-throwing protests by Muslim hardliners after the first edition was published prompted the publisher to relocate Playboy Indonesia's editorial offices from Jakarta to the predominantly Hindu island of Bali.

The magazine has been criticized even by some who acknowledge that it is no more pornographic than many local tabloids sold in the country already.

The tabloids tend to feature more-explicit photos and stories. Pornographic films on video, though illegal, are sold more or less openly at stores across the country.