Five rioters get 20 months

MEDAN, North Sumatra: The Medan District Court on Wednesday sentenced five men to 20 months imprisonment each for their roles in the workers riot in Medan last April.

The five are Sugiono (23 years old), Nobel Samosir (22), Arifin (21), Muliadi (24), and Usahanta Ginting (19).

They were found guilty of vandalism causing material losses to others.

The five men accepted the court's verdict and expressed regret for their actions, the Antara news agency reported.

Sugiono, an employee of PT.Mostly and Nobel Samosir of PD.Romas were found guilty of vandalizing the plant of PT Universal Medan on April 15.

Muliadi, Arifin and Usahanta Ginting, all workers of PT Ganda Seribu Utama, were found guilty of vandalizing the factory where they worked on April 17.

More than 80 people, including workers and labor leaders, are currently on trial for their alleged role in the workers' protests that turned into full scale riots for one week, in and around Medan last April.

One businessman died in the riot and dozens of plants were damaged. (emb)