Kupang – Hundreds of human rights activists in So'e, South Central Timor regency, East Nusa Tenggara, poured into the streets and distributed flowers to law enforcers.

Their action was a form of protest against law enforcers who criminalized Voni Nubatonis, 16, an eighth grader at the So'e Christian vocational school, who was accused of stealing flowers from Sonya Ully Tabun, her foster mother.

The activists deemed the 2.5-year sentence demand against Voni excessive as it ignored Law No. 23/2002 on child protection and Law No. 3/1997 on child prosecution.

"We have gathered 1,000 flowers and are giving them to members of the public. We have presented the flowers to the South Central Timor Police, So'e Prosecutor's Office and the South Central Timor regent," said rally coordinator Eliaser Neonufa on Monday.

Voni has been charged under Article 362 of the Criminal Code on theft for stealing adeniums from her foster mother and employer. The article carries a maximum five-year prison sentence.

Voni comes from a deprived family in remote Timor. She was orphaned at a young age and was taken into foster care by Sonya and helps with household chores. As she wished to study, she was enrolled in a local senior high school. Voni acknowledged that she took the flowers because she seldom received transportation money to go to school.