Seven young women belonging to a pro-democracy group in rebellious Aceh province have been arrested for insulting President Megawati Sukarnoputri and Vice President Hamzah Haz.

State news agency Antara said the members of the Women's Organization for a Democratic Aceh (Orpad) were detained by police Tuesday in Banda Aceh city for displaying defaced pictures of Megawati and Haz during a street protest.

The women, aged between 16 and 22, had drawn red crosses through the faces of the president and vice president to symbolize their rejection of the nation's leaders.

Indonesia claims to be a democracy, but the law forbids citizens from publicly expressing disrespect toward the president and government.

Under Article 154 of the Criminal Code, "the public expression of feelings of hostility, hatred or contempt toward the government" is punishable by up to seven years in jail.

Article 134 punishes "insulting the president" with a maximum sentence of six years in jail, while Article 137 allows for a jail sentence of up to one year and four months for anyone who "disseminates, demonstrates openly or puts up a writing or portrait containing an insult against the president or vice president".

Banda Aceh Police chief Commissioner Alfons Toluhula said the seven women had also violated the law for failing to notify police before conducting their protest.

The women, who are university students and former students, were identified as Raihan (21), Ida (16), Nonong (22), Nova Rahayu (21), Igustriana (22), Yusirwilya (18) and Yusmanidar (21).

Warning Megawati earlier this month expressed her disapproval of demonstrators who deface or trample on pictures of the president and vice president.

The leader of a prominent Muslim organization's youth wing, Al Amin Nurwahab, who met with Megawati on July 8, said the president was "saddened" by demonstrators who vandalize state symbols.

Nurwahab, who chairs the Nahdlatul Ulama Youth Organization (IPNU), quoted Megawati as saying the president and vice president are state symbols who deserve respect.

Wait a minute. Was Megawati saying that former dictator Suharto deserved respect, even though he gave orders that resulted in about one million killings? Does she mean Suharto should be respected for allowing corruption to flourish and leaving the nation in economic ruins?

Does Megawati herself desrve respect for giving the military carte blanche to commit human rights abuses, such as raping and murdering civilians in Aceh?

And is she worthy of respect for posing as a democrat while refusing to allow repressed provinces to have independence referendums?

"If the state symbols are not respected, they [demonstrators] do not respect their own country," Nurwahab quoted Megawati as saying. Megawati reportedly said that if protesters do not like Indonesia they can leave the country.

Analysts say most people in Aceh would love to secede from Indonesia, but the president will not allow the resource-rich province to hold a referendum on independence.

Nurwahab said Megawati expressed hope that any future demonstrations would be conducted "politely".

Manpower Minister Jacob Nuwa Wea in late June warned he would "hunt down" any demonstrators who dare to deface, kick or burn pictures of Megawati and Haz.

Student demonstrators have staged several rallies in Jakarta waving posters that show the president and vice president with large red Xs drawn over their faces. Pictures of Megawati with tusks, fangs or horns have been sported at some demonstrations.

Many Indonesians view Megawati as a traitor to democracy because she has failed to curb corruption or arrest military officials involved in human rights abuses. Instead, she has told the military not worry about committing human rights abuses.

The president has also rejected calls for an inquiry into allegations that Golkar Party leader/parliament speaker Akbar Tanjung embezzled Rp40 billion in state funds that were supposed to have been used to buy food for the needy.

Megawati's most controversial move of late was to support Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso's re-election bid, despite his alleged roles in corruption and human rights abuses.

The president's lack of democratic statements and actions are attributed to her falling out with her longtime friend and former speechwriter Eros Djarot, who was reportedly pushed out of the loop by Megawati's affluent businessman husband Taufik Kiemas.