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)