Medan jails union leader

Medan jails union leader

MEDAN, North Sumatra: The Medan District Court has sentenced
an executive of the rebel Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union to
six months in jail for his role in April's workers' riots.

Irawadi, formerly the deputy chairman of the SBSI chapter in
Medan, was found guilty on Friday of inciting others to violence,
according to the Antara news agency.

The government prosecutors had earlier demanded a nine year
jail term.

Irawadi, who worked for PT Growth Asia, is one of dozens of
people tried in connection with the riots that left one
businessman dead and dozens of factories and shops in the city
damaged. Several SBSI leaders, including chairman of its head
office in Jakarta, are being tried on similar charges.

Irawadi's lawyers from the local chapter of the Legal Aid
Institute (LBH) said their client accepted the verdict and will
not appeal. (emb)