Slamet Susanto and Bambang Muryanto, Archipelago – Hundreds of supporters of members of the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) being tried at the II-11 Yogyakarta Military Court staged a rally when the verdicts were read on Thursday.
Twelve Kopassus members were tried for their alleged role in a prison attack killing four detainees at the Cebongan Penitentiary in Sleman regency, Yogyakarta.
Military prosecutors charged the defendants with premeditated murder and sought eight months to 12 years' imprisonment for them.
The supporters held up banners and burned tires, blocking the Eastern Ring Road in front of the military court building. They also threw tomatoes at the building over disappointment that the panel of judges found the defendants guilty.
The main perpetrator, Second Sgt. Ucok Tigor Simbolon was sentenced to an 11-year prison term and discharged from military service.
In the same dossier, Second Sgt. Sugeng Sumaryanto was sentenced to eight years behind bars and First Cpl. Kodik six years. Both were also discharged from military service. In another dossier, five defendants received 21-month prison terms.
"Panel of judges, please use your conscience. Please notice how Yogyakarta is free from thuggery after the four thugs were killed by Kopassus members," Akbar, one of the protesters, said.
Another protester said that the thugs had been involved with drug distribution in the region. "Don't let drugs destroy younger generations," he said.
Since the trials, divided into four dossiers, started on June 20, Kopassus supporters have packed the military court building. "The court is usually empty because we mostly handle desertion cases," Yogyakarta military court chief, Lt. Col. Faridah Faisal once told The Jakarta Post.
Also showing support during the trials were members of Kopassus Group 2 Kandang Menjangan, who usually arrived early to save seats for the families of Kopassus members or high-ranking officers attending the trial. Rally speeches outside were also often heard from inside the courtroom.
In their speeches, supporters would urge the panel of judges to ignore statements from the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) and Kontras regarding possible serious human rights violations in the killings of Hendrik Angel Sahetapi, Yohanes Juan Mambait, Gameliel Yermianto Rohi Riwu and Adrianus Candra Gajala.
Some of the supporters also yelled at Komnas HAM chairwoman Siti Noor Laila, who attended the case's first trial, and accused her for being an accessory of foreign interests. However, no stern action was taken against them despite their disturbances.
Spokesperson of the People's Coalition for Military Court Monitoring (KPRM), Sumiardi, said that what Kopassus supporters did could be categorized as intervention.
"Approaching the reading of the verdict, it was getting clearer that there was pressure and intervention from both outside and inside the courtroom," Sumiardi said, referring to the blocking of the court's fence by supporters after a trial.
Chronology of Cebongan prison attack
March 19:
12:30 a.m.: Chief Sgt. Heru Santoso dies from a stab wound sustained at Hugos Cafe, Yogyakarta – Hendrik Angel Sahetapi, 31, Yohanes Juan Manbait, 38, Gameliel Yermianto Rohi Riwu, 29, and Andrianus Candra Galaja, 33, are named suspects.
6 a.m.: Kopassus Group 2 Kandang Menjangan commander Lt. Col. Maruli Simanjuntak during morning roll call tells his troops not to be inflamed by the incident and say that police are handling the case.
March 21:
First Sgt. Sriyono, former Kopassus Group 2 commando and member of the Yogyakarta Military Command, is fatally stabbed in the head, reportedly by Marcel and accomplices in Lempuyangan, Yogyakarta.
March 22:
4 p.m.: At a training ground on the slopes of Mt. Lawu, Second Sgt. Ucok Tigor Simbolon asks Second Sgt. Sugeng Sumaryoto and First Cpl. Kodik to accompany him to Yogyakarta to look for Marcel and friends to exact revenge.
5:45 p.m.: The three men leave in Ucok's car, armed with three AK-47 assault rifles, two replica AK-47s, a pistol, balaclavas and vests.
6:30 p.m.: They arrive at the Kopassus Group 2 headquarters in Kartasura, Central Java, and go to their respective homes.
8 p.m.: They meet Kopassus commandos First Sgt. Trijuwanto, First Sgt. Anjar Rahmanto, First Sgt. Mathius Roberto P Banani, First Sgt. Suprapto, First Sgt. Hermawan Siswoyo and Second Sgt. Ichmawan Suprapto at a canteen.
They leave in two cars for Yogyakarta, where they drive around Lempuyangan and Malioboro looking for but failing to locate Marcel and accomplices.
11 p.m.: They take a break at a police post near the Yogyakarta Technology University (UTY) and get information on the transfer of police detainees to Cebongan Penitentiary and decide to go to there.
March 23:
12:15 a.m.: Upon arrival at the penitentiary, Ucok tells the others to distribute the firearms, don masks and enter the penitentiary. Ichmawan waits in the car. Four prison detainees are shot dead.
12:30 a. m.: The commandos leave the penitentiary.
3:15 a.m.: They arrive at Kopassus Group 2 headquarters and burn the CCTV video recording that they seized from the prison in a garbage bin near the shooting range and dump it in the Bengawan Solo River.
5:30 a.m.: Ucok, Sugeng and Kodik return to the training ground, feigning to be sleepy as if nothing has happened.