Banda Aceh – Muhammad Nazar, 27, chairman of the Information Center for an Aceh Referendum (SIRA), went on trial here on Thursday for sedition, his second brush with the law in two years, AFP reported.

Prosecutors accused of having "publicly expressed enmity, hatred or insults" towards the Indonesian government. "The defendant had incited the public to carry out actions that violate the law," chief prosecutor Muhammad Masril told the hearing.

The offence carries a maximum sentence of seven years' imprisonment. Nazar has been in police detention since February. "He had insulted the government at two separate rallies in January in North Aceh district," Masril said.

"Nazar had told the crowd that Acehnese must unite to support the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) armed separatist group," Masril said, adding that the pro-independent activist also told the crowd that "very soon we will be able to achieve our dream, which is a free Aceh." The trial is scheduled to resume on Monday.

In March 2001, Nazar was jailed for 10 months for sedition after seeking a vote on self-rule. He had been arrested in November 2000 after SIRA organised pro-referendum mass rallies in Jakarta.

SIRA has campaigned peacefully for a referendum on independence for the province located on the tip of Sumatra island. The group also organised a peaceful rally attracting hundreds of thousands of people here in 1999.