Soldiers sentenced in Aceh rape cases<\/p>\n
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Lhokseumawe, Aceh<\/p>\n
A military court in Aceh sentenced on Saturday three Army
\nsoldiers found guilty of raping four young Acehnese women to
\nbetween two-and-a-half and three-and-a-half years' imprisonment,
\nthe second such case to slap the military in the face over the
\nlast two months.<\/p>\n
Convicted First Pvt. Awaludin, First Pvt. Husni Dwila and
\nChief Pvt. Seprianus Tertius Lau Webang took their one-week grace
\nperiod, starting on Sunday, to decide whether to accept the
\nverdict, file an appeal to a higher court or to ask for a
\npresidential pardon.<\/p>\n
Military prosecutors also asked for one week to file an appeal
\non the verdict, which was more lenient than the sentence they had
\nsought.<\/p>\n
The three, members of Battalion 411 Pandawa from Salatiga,
\nCentral Java, were charged with Article 285 of the civilian
\nCriminal Code, which carries a maximum 12-year sentence.<\/p>\n
Presiding Judge Maj. Trias sentenced Awaludin to two-and-a-
\nhalf years' imprisonment, from which his detention period was
\ndeducted, for raping one of the four victims, all residents of
\nAlue Lhok hamlet. The sentence is lighter than that the
\nprosecutors had sought.<\/p>\n
\"The defendant has breached the military code of ethics and
\nsmeared the image of the TNI, as well as the joint military
\noperation in Aceh. The defendant cannot remain in the ranks,\" the
\njudge told the hearing at the tribunal in Lhokseumawe, North
\nAceh.<\/p>\n
\"In addition to the incriminating factors of this case, the
\ndefendant has hurt the hearts of all Acehnese, and the victim
\ndoes not forgive the crime.\"<\/p>\n
Rape is not only a crime under civilian law, but also under
\nthe military code of ethics, under both its sumpah prajurit
\n(soldiers' oath) and sapta marga (seven principles). As such, the
\ncase has tarnished the military's image, more so as the crime was
\ncommitted in Aceh, where the government has launched a four-part
\nintegrated operation consisting of the military operation,
\nhumanitarian aid, law enforcement and civil administration.<\/p>\n
It is the second crime committed by soldiers tasked to crush
\nthe Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in the past two months. Last month,
\nthree other Army soldiers were jailed for beating three civilians
\nin May, including a village head, in Lawang village, Bireuen
\nregency.<\/p>\n
Similar crimes, as well as alleged human rights violations,
\nhad frequently been committed by soldiers during the previous
\nmilitary operation of 1989 to 1998 in Aceh.<\/p>\n
In a separate hearing, Presiding Judge Maj. Adil Karo-karo
\nsentenced Husni Dwila to three years' imprisonment for raping
\nthree of the four women several times. The prosecutors had
\nrequested a three-and-a-half-year jail sentence.<\/p>\n
Found guilty of raping all four of the victims, two of whom
\nare married, Seprianus was sentenced to three-and-a-half years'
\nimprisonment. Seprianus, a father of two, did not show any
\nemotion as the judges took turns reading the verdict, although he
\ncried at an earlier hearing when prosecutors read out their
\nsentence proposal.<\/p>\n
The three are now jailed at Lilawangsa military police
\nheadquarters.<\/p>\n
The rapes occurred consecutively from June 20 to 22, when five
\nbattalion members were assigned to raid the hamlet for GAM
\nmembers. The three, including one local villager, picked up the
\nwomen from their homes, threatening them with interrogation under
\nsuspicion that the women were inong bale (GAM's female military
\nwing).<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/soldiers-sentenced-in-aceh-rape-cases-1447893297",
"image": ""
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