Court to continue trying Aceh activist<\/p>\n
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): The judges of the Banda Aceh District
\nCourt ruled on Monday that the court could continue to try
\nAcehnese independence activist Muhammad Nazar, ruling that the
\ncourt had legal grounds on which to proceed.<\/p>\n
\"The case will go ahead as there are sufficient legal grounds
\nto justify this,\" presiding judge Farida Hanoem said during the
\nsecond session of the trial.<\/p>\n
The panel of judges overruled the motion moved by defense
\nlawyers that Nazar, the detained chief of the Aceh Referendum
\nInformation Center (SIRA), be released from all charges due to
\n\"inadequate legal grounds for the prosecution.\"<\/p>\n
The trial of Nazar on sedition charges opened on Monday amid
\ntight security and a silent protest by fellow activists.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the session which began at 9:15 a.m., Nazar read
\nout a 26-page defense statement titled: \"Aceh's Struggle against
\nNeo-Colonialist Rage\" and this was followed by defense statements
\nby his lawyers -- Abdurrachman Yacoub, Johnson Panjaitan, Rasmita
\nand Catur Karya Soksianto.<\/p>\n
\"We urge the court to dismiss these charges as the prosecution
\nwas only seeking an excuse to arrest, detain and put the
\ndefendant on trial in order to eventually punish him (Nazar),\"
\nYacoub said.<\/p>\n
The defense team said that the legal basis and criminal code
\narticles used for charging Nazar had lost their \"philosophical
\nlegitimacy\" due to the fact that they no longer accorded with the
\nvalues of democracy and human rights.<\/p>\n
\"What Nazar did was merely to express himself and that's not
\nagainst the provisions of the Criminal Code,\" they argued.<\/p>\n
The team of prosecutors, however, stuck to their indictment,
\nsaying that Nazar harbored hostile and treasonable intentions
\nagainst the state.<\/p>\n
Nazar is being charged under Articles 154 and 155 of the
\nCriminal Code which carry a maximum sentence of seven years in
\njail.<\/p>\n
\"The defendant has clearly incited people to rise up against
\nIndonesia by distributing leaflets and banners likely to sow
\nhatred against the lawfully established government,\" chief
\nprosecutor Supery said.<\/p>\n
Nazar was arrested on Nov. 20, 2000 after organizing a mass
\nrally in the region in August calling for an independence
\nreferendum.<\/p>\n
The banners which Nazar is accused of having distributed on
\nAug. 17, Indonesia's independence day, stated: \"Aceh remains
\nwithin the Republic of Indonesia, or becomes free.\"<\/p>\n
Outside the court, some 100 SIRA activists staged a silent
\nprotest, wearing headbands and posters emblazoned with the word
\n\"Referendum\".<\/p>\n
They covered their mouths with black tape and tried to
\napproach the courtroom before a cordon of police officers turned
\nthem away.<\/p>\n
The group, however, dispersed peacefully later in the day.<\/p>\n
The trial was adjourned until Tuesday to hear testimony from
\nwitnesses.<\/p>\n
Dozens of onlookers crowded the tightly guarded courtroom
\nwhile another group of protesters demanded the police find the
\nmurderers of Aceh activists, in particular those of Banda Aceh's
\nAr-Raniry IAIN (State Islamic Institute) Rector Safwan Idris.<\/p>\n
The hearing, however, went smoothly and was adjourned in the
\nafternoon.<\/p>\n
\"We will maintain tight security during every session until
\nthe trial has been completed,\" Aceh Besar Police chief Adj. Sr.
\nComr. Sayed Hoesaini said. (edt\/50)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/court-to-continue-trying-aceh-activist-1447893297",
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