Aceh activist freed of charges

Aceh activist freed of charges

BANDA ACEH, Aceh: The Banda Aceh District Court freed Kautsar,
23, chairman of the Democratic Front for Acehnese People (FPDRA),
of all charges laid against him.

Anwar Rasat, who presided over the panel of judges, said the
judges rejected the prosecutor's charges because there was no
evidence that the suspect had sown resentment against the
government and there were no witnesses who testified against him
during the trial.

In the previous court session, prosecutor Superty Syukur had
sought a two-year jail sentence for the defendant because he had
circulated leaflets calling on the Acehnese people not pay tax to
the government.

Kautsar is the son of Muhammad Yunus, chairman of the Aceh
Provincial legislative council.

"No witnesses saw the defendant circulating the antigovernment
leaflets," Anwar said. --Antara