Man gets six months for insulting VP

Man gets six months for insulting VP

SURAKATA, Central Java: Surakata District Court sentenced on
Wednesday a 20-year-old man to six months in prison for insulting
Vice President Hamzah Haz.

The defendant, Totok, of the People's Youth Movement (GPK),
burned Hamzah's picture during a rally in front of the Sebelas
Maret University here on Jan. 20.

"But the defendant has the right to appeal against the
verdict. Please discuss the possibility with your lawyer,"
presiding judge Djaeni Abidin said.

In the past year, a number of students and activists have been
jailed for "insulting or undermining the government", a move that
many consider a return of an authoritarian regime.

However, the sentences have failed to curb the intensifying
anti-government rallies across the country.--Antara