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)