Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – Six university students were sentenced to five years imprisonment each Thursday for their involvement in a violent protest that led to the death of North Sumatra legislative council speaker, Abdul Aziz Angkat, in February.
Prosecutors had sought seven years for the convicted University of Sisingamangaraja XII students: Supri Handi Hutapea, Sopan Megayanto Simanungkalit, Matatia Januari Sibuea, Deddi Lumban Tungkup, Maraga Banjarnahor and Lintong Adelman Lumbantoruan.
Yet, the defendants rejected their conviction by the Medan District Court, saying they would file an appeal. They claimed that the law had "killed" their freedom of expression.
The court found the six students guilty of involvement a violent demonstration held to call for the creation of the province of Tapanuli.
Presiding judge Charis Mardiyanto said the defendants were proven to have broken Article 146 of the Criminal Code for various offenses including provocation, violence and disbanding a legislative council meeting.
He said the panel of judges handed down a lenient jail term for the six defendants as they were students and had no prior convictions.
The incriminating factor was the fact that the students tarnished the image of North Sumatra and harmed democracy in Indonesia, Charis added.
He explained that the defendants, along with 200 other people, staged a rally on Feb. 3, 2009, to push for the creation of the Tapanuli province, while yelling, "Long live Tapanuli province. Tapanuli province or death". The mob then forced their way into the council's meeting room, where Abdul Aziz was chairing a plenary session.
The protesters forced the meeting to stop and rioted inside the council building, forcing Abdul Aziz to flee to safety. Abdul Aziz died of a heart attack hours after he was set upon by the mob.
The six convicted students were among a total of 69 suspects, including local councillors and lecturers, who were named after the anarchy and are undergoing trial separately.
Meanwhile the court opened Thursday the trial of former local councillor Datumira Simanjuntak and secretary of the Tapanuli province establishment committee, Hasudungan Butar-Butar, who are accused of masterminding the riot.