Jakarta – On Wednesday, Central Jakarta District Court sentenced Ferry Juliantono to one year in prison for triggering a riot following a protest over the fuel price hike in June last year.
Ferry, who is secretary-general of the Indonesia Rise Committee (KBI), was found guilty of escalating tensions among students and persuading them to act violently against police officers. Previously, prosecutors had demanded he be sentenced to six years in prison.
"The convict has a wife and children. This fact eased his sentencing," judge Makassau, a member of the panel of judges, told the Ferry trial as reported by the Antara state news agency.
On June 24, 2008, a rally against the government policy of rising fuel prices had become heated as protesters burned a government car in front of Atmajaya University, Jakarta. They also tore down the gates of the House of Representatives building.
However, at that time, Ferry was attending a farmer's union meeting in China.
Prior to the June protest, he had been behind several other protests. According to prosecutors, on May 21, 2008, Ferry had led a group to stage a protest against the fuel price hike.
The defendant had allegedly told protesters that if police formed a barricade, they had to break through it, prosecutors said.
The following day, Ferry had told other activists via his cell phone that they had to stop protesting in front of the presidential palace and shift their activities to campuses.
Previously, Ferry had provoked youths, activists and students during an event held at the Indonesian Family Planning Association (PKBI) building, the prosecutor said.
The meeting had been attended by KBI chairman Rizal Ramli and many other scholars, students and activists. The theme of that event was "Determining a New Way for Indonesia". Around 500 people were present.
Rizal, who is also a presidential candidate and a former coordinating minister for the economy, was named a suspect in the case.
The KBI and critics said the charges against Ferry and Rizal, which have built up ahead of the elections, were politically motivated.
However, the National Police headquarters and the presidential office dismissed the criticism. They insisted that the move to name them suspects was legal rather than political. (dis)