Protesters go on trial

Protesters go on trial

DILI, East Timor: The trial of 12 people, detained since
January for allegedly holding a pro-independence demonstration at
the University of East Timor, commences today.

The trial of another protester, facing the same charges, began
on Tuesday. The protesters will be tried for the commission of
ordinary crimes rather than, as previously expected, for
subversion.

Subversion is one of the most serious offenses under
Indonesian law. Those convicted may be punished with death.

State prosecutor T.H. Panggabean told The Jakarta Post
yesterday that "subversive people are those who undermine the
state ideology Pancasila and commit political sabotage".

"The protesters committed pure crimes," he said.

The police said in January that the demonstrators on the
university campus were not students, but people who used the
campus to voice their political demands. (yac/swe)