Lecturer assailants get one year
Lecturer assailants get one year
Theresia Sufa, Bogor
The Cibinong District Court sentenced on Wednesday the two
assailants of Reny Chandriachsja Suwarso, a Social and Political
Studies lecturer at the University of Indonesia, to a year in
prison and a probationary period of 15 months each.
Presiding judge Djoko Soeseno read out the verdict finding
defendants Herryansah Iberamsjah, 29, a social and political
studies researcher, and Nirwansyah Iberamsjah, 23, a law and
technology researcher, guilty of violating Article 351 of the
Criminal Code on assault.
Considering the defendants' refusal to admit to their
wrongdoings, as well as the mitigating factor that the felony was
their first offense, the court sentenced them both to a year in
prison, which the prosecution recommended.
The two brothers, however, will not be jailed, as long as they
do not commit any other offenses within the probationary period.
The defendants accepted the verdict.
Wednesday's trial was marked by a courtroom packed with
students and lecturers to hear the verdict. The assault and
ensuing trial had caused a division of opinion, and the audience
sat in separate groups.
"It's really sad and embarrassing to see everyone present, yet
separated like this," department secretary Anna Margaret said.
"This is the fault of our superiors."
The assault on Reny was a consequence of an issue over the
Sept. 23, 2003 appointment of the defendants' father, Iberamsjah,
as Department of Social and Political Studies head, which caused
a furor among the academic community. Opponents of the
appointment accused the administration of violating university
regulations.
Witnesses said the incident occurred as students who were
holding a demonstration approached Reny and asked whether they
could attend Iberamsjah's installment ceremony.
Reny went to speak to security guards on behalf of the
students about whether they would be permitted entry to the
ceremony, when she came across Herryansah, who punched her, and
Nirwansyah attacked two students standing near Reny, Rheinhard
Sirait and Yudi Fajar M. Wahyu.