Seven Acehnese women arrested for protesting: Seven activists

Seven Acehnese women arrested for protesting: Seven activists from the Women's Organization for Democratic Aceh (Orpad) were arrested by police in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh on Tuesday on charges of insulting President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Vice President Hamzah Haz. The seven woman activists had held the pictures of Megawati and Hamzah with a red cross drawn across them while demonstrating at the city's busy Simpang Lima traffic circle here. The seven arrested protesters were Raihan ,21, Ida, 16, Nonong, 22, Nova Rahayu, 21, Igustriana, 22, Yusirwilya, 18, and Yusmanidar, 21. Banda Aceh Police chief Alfons T said to reporters that the seven activists had also been held for violating the law by failing to notify the police before holding the demonstration. -- Antara