Soemarso Soemarsono
Indonesian journalist (1928–1981)
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Soemarso Soemarsono (19 August 1928 – 20 March 1981) was an Indonesian political activist and journalist. He was active in Masyumi-affiliated organizations during the Sukarno period and was imprisoned during the mid-1960s. He then worked at the Abadi newspaper during the Suharto era, was imprisoned again due to a report, and died before his trial.
Early life
Soemarso Soemarsono was born on 19 August 1928 in Magetan Regency, in Madiun Residency.[1]
Career
In 1945, Soemarsono joined the Indonesian Islamic Youth Movement (GPII), a youth organization affiliated with the Islamist Masyumi party. Soemarsono's father was killed in the Madiun Affair of 1948, which caused Soemarsono to develop a strong disdain of the Indonesian Communist Party.[2] He then became a journalist for the Masyumi-affiliated Abadi newspaper.[3] On 9 December 1963, Soemarsono was arrested under charges of sedition, as Masyumi-affiliated politicians had opposed Sukarno's "Guided Democracy". He was initially incarcerated at Surabaya's Kalisosok Prison, later being relocated to Jakarta.[2]
Soemarsono in 1971 would publish a memoir of his time in prison during the Sukarno era.[2]
Abadi and death
Following Sukarno's fall from power, Soemarsono was released from prison and rejoined Abadi, which had been revived in 1968 by former prime minister Burhanuddin Harahap, becoming a member of its editorial board. The paper was censured again following the Malari incident in 1974.[2] In 1979, Soemarsono was arrested under charges of publishing state secrets, as he had published electoral archives from the 1977 Indonesian legislative election.[2] He was also accused of taking part in a student protest movement.[4] Amnesty International would designate him as a prisoner of conscience.[5]
While still under house arrest, Soemarsono died on 20 March 1981 in Jakarta.[4] He was buried at the Menteng Pulo cemetery.[6]