Sympathy for detained students

PURWOKERTO, Central Java: Messages of sympathy are streaming in to four students arrested on charges of distributing leaflets encouraging people to boycott the May 29 general election.

Five student organizations in the town issued a statement which regretted the arrest of the four students, Ecep Sumardi Yasa, Chalid Mawardi, Oru Wulandari and Abu Hassan.

In the joint statement, the student activists said that not to participate in a general election is every citizen's basic right and therefore people could not be prosecuted for not exercising their rights.

They also urged the police to free the four students because arresting people on the wrong legal basis would only be detrimental to political stability.

They described as "normal" the heightening political climate in the run-up to the general election, saying the authorities should not look for scapegoats for rising unrest. (wah)