UKI jailed student end sentence in Cipinang jail

JAKARTA (JP): Cheered on by some 50 fellow students, an Indonesia Christian University student was released from Cipinang penitentiary in East Jakarta on Sunday after spending five months in jail for kidnapping a police officer.

Edward T.B. Karo-karo told the students from City Forum (Forkot), he would continue to participate in student demonstrations.

"Five months in jail will not stop me from taking part in street rallies in the capital," the 22-year old student said.

Wearing his university blue jacket and headband, Edward said that officials at the penitentiary had requested he leave the jail on Friday.

"Probably the officials wanted to make me violate the sentence. So they could say I left before my term ended. And they could rearrest me later," he said.

Edward left the penitentiary at about 10:15 a.m and supporters, who traveled to the site in two buses and an open jeep, burst into tears and hugged the law school student.

The supporters then conducted free speeches and sung the national anthem Indonesia Raya, before leaving the penitentiary compound some thirty minutes later.

On April 30, the South Jakarta District Court found Edward guilty of depriving freedom to an intelligence officer of the South Jakarta Police precinct named Suratman.

The court's panel of judges decided Edward had violated Article 333 (1) of the Criminal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of 12 years in jail.

"We believed the defendant first tried to help Suratman from being mobbed... but he was later silent when his friends tied and blindfolded Suratman," said presiding judge Samsoeddin.

The defendant, who was accompanied by lawyers from the Student Movement Lawyers Team, shortly after the verdict decided to appeal the judge's decision, saying he tried to help Suratman.

Edward was indicted along with three friends for kidnapping Suratman, who was taking pictures of a student rally on Jl. Gatot Subroto on Nov. 27 last year. (jun)