Ba'asyir to get sentence remission

Ba'asyir to get sentence remission

Defying Australia's request, the Indonesian government confirmed
on Thursday that Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir would have his
jail term cut in observance of the Idul Fitri Islamic holiday
next week.

Minister of Justice and Human Rights Hamid Awaluddin
would not unveil the length of the remission, but said that like
other prisoners Ba'asyir was entitled to the jail term reduction
due to his good conduct while serving his 30-month imprisonment
for conspiracy in the 2002 Bali bombings.

"Under the prevailing
regulations on remission, Ba'asyir is eligible for the
remission," Hamid said. The government is revising the regulation
upon the request of Australia, which Hamid said would only be
issued by the end of November. Ba'asyir was granted four and a
half-month remission in observance of Independence Day in August.
-- JP