A judge in Britain has blocked attempts to stop the government from selling military equipment to Indonesia. Judge John Laws says the campaign by three lobby groups was honourable, but purely political. The British government has given export permits for water cannon and armoured vehicles to Indonesia.

The lobby groups argued that the proposed sale violated British guidelines against arms sales to oppressive regimes. The case was brought by two British-based groups, World Development Movement and the Campaign Against the Arms Trade, and and an Indonesian body, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign, or TAPOL.