The Serang District Court sentenced the 12 defendants on Thursday to between three and six months in jail for “inciting hatred” against the minority Ahmadis.
The 10 defendants, including cleric Ujang Muhammad Arif, who allegedly incited the attack on the Ahmadis, were sentenced to six months in jail. One defendant, Idis bin Mahdani, was sentenced to five months and 15 days in prison, while juvenile defendant Dani bin Misra was sentenced to three months in prison.
They were cleared of all other charges, which included illegal possession of sharp weapons, destruction of property, mistreatment of others, participating in an assault, involvement in an attack and attacking others and causing serious injury or death.
The controversial verdict, which is slightly lighter than the prosecutors’ demands,
Human Rights Watch says the light sentences “reflect the authorities’ weak efforts to prosecute the case”.
The verdict, according to my opinion, is the chilling message from Indonesia’s legal system, that attacks on minorities, will be treated lightly. This court rulling would set a dangerous precedent, that now you can be violent, or kill, as you use religion as the motive, then you can get off with a light sentence.
Living in Indonesia, as minorities, we are having difficulties to live together with Moslem as majorities. Not all Moslem are hardliner, filled with anger at minorities, but those peaceful Moslem doesn’t do any meaningful – powerful legal action to protect our rights as minorities. And to do proper action to tell the world, that Islam is a peaceful religion.
Churches are now facing problem with their legal status on using their own church. Moslem took action to close churches, with two reasons: permit on use the building as a church, and accuse that Christian use the building to convert Moslem to Christian. They came in a mob, the church are forced to close. Church member are banned to use their church.
What happen with the Ahmadis, could happen to Christians and any minorities in Indonesia. They are now can kill, and get off with light sentence. 3 – 6 month are the price of 3 dead bodies that were killed brutally in the name of religion.
Indonesia’s President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and his government must now take meaningful action to uphold the rule of law, strengthen the independence of the judiciary, provide protection to religious minorities, and ensure that justice and human rights are protected for all.