Legal experts call for man's release

PURWOKERTO, Central Java: Noted legal experts and watchdog institutions urged security officers on Tuesday to release a man, who has been in prison for 30 days without appropriate legal procedures.

One of the scholars, Hibnu Nugroho of the School of Law at Soedirman University here, said Wartono, 40, a father of four, was arrested last month by the police for allegedly stealing eight kilograms of cocoa from a field belonging to local company PT Rumpun Antan Sari. One kilogram of cocoa costs Rp 1,000 (11 U.S. cents)

Hibnu said Wartono's arrest was illegal and that police officers were not feeding him properly.

Cocoa theft from the field was common during the past year, after local residents claimed ownership of the land. -- JP