JAKARTA, 08 December 2006 - The editor of Playboy Indonesia appeared in court in Jakarta Thursday, charged with publishing indecent material. Though the country's version of the famed men's magazine contains no nudity and is tamer than other editions published around the world, religious groups and politicians have condemned it.

Editor Erwin Arnada has argued that his edition is equally or even less explicit than many other Indonesian versions of Western men's magazines - including Maxim and FHM - that have been sold locally for years with no protest. Nevertheless, the prosecution told the court on Thursday that Arnada oversaw photo shoots and selected photos of scantily clad female models, who "also had inviting expressions on their faces."

Prosecutor Resni Muchtar called for the maximum sentence of 32 months in prison for Arnada. The trial was adjourned until Dec. 14, when witnesses are scheduled to appear.

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