Sentence demanded for minister

Sat, 07 Aug 2004, 00:00 WIB | Source: JP

AMBON, Maluku: The prosecution demanded on Friday that the Ambon
District Court sentence the Reverend Agustinus Sahertian, alias
Avner, to two years in prison for attempting to incite people.

Avner was arrested by police on April 27 on Jl. Rijali for
distributing leaflets to passersby. The leaflets urged people to
wage war against the Indonesian Military and the hard-line Laskar
Jihad group. According to the prosecution, the move could have
prolonged unrest in Ambon.

The minister distributed the leaflets on April 25, after a
riot erupted. The riot broke out after the Maluku Sovereignty
Front (FKM) separatist group rallied in the city to mark the 54th
anniversary of the South Maluku Republic (RMS). The rally sparked
anger among Muslims, who claimed the police were unable to
contain the separatist group, whose members are predominantly
Christian. -- JP

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