Three marines will each serve less than 12 months in jail for assaulting four journalists who were covering the demolition of unauthorized buildings in Padang, West Sumatra, in May last year.

Lieut. Col. Chk Roza Maimun, a presiding judge at the Padang Military Court, sentenced Second Sgt. Ade Carsim and Second Sgt. Sadam Husein to 11 months in jail and sentenced First Pvt. Class Dwi Eka Prasetya to eight months in jail.

"A panel of judges declared that Second Sgt. Class Ade Carsim and Second Sgt. Class Sadam Husein have been proven to commit violence and destruction that violates article 170 and article 351 of the Criminal Code, by intentionally preventing [journalists] effort to seek, obtain and spread ideas or information and also violate article 18 of 1999 Law on Press," Roza said as quoted by Antaranews.com.

First Pvt. Class Dwi Eka Prasetya was only found guilty of preventing journalists from carrying out their duties.

Journalists were attacked in Bukit Lampu, Padang on May 29 while they were covering the demolition of several shacks believed to be used for prostitution. Four of them – identified as Apriyandi from Metro TV, Budi Sunandar from Sindo TV, Julian from sumbarterkini.com and Jamaldi from Favorit TV – were assaulted and injured while three more journalists had their cameras or memory cards stolen by the marines.

The incident prompted condemnation from legislators and press freedom advocates who have called for the marines to receive the maximum punishment.