Another 35 suspects accused of partaking in a violent demonstration in February faced a Medan district court on Tuesday on charges of destruction, provocation and disrupting a legislative meeting.
The protest, which called for the establishment of a new province, led to the death of North Sumatra legislative council speaker Abdul Aziz Angkat.
The defendants were mostly students and lecturers from the Sisingamangaraja XII University in the provincial capital of Medan, but one trial got underway for local councilor-elect Tahan Manahan Panggabean from the Democratic Party .
More than 60 people are now standing trial for involvement in the rally. At Tuesday's trial of Rudolf Marpaung and Timbul Simbolon, prosecutors accused the two lecturers of violating Article 146 of the Criminal Code regarding the dissolution of a council meeting and Article 335 regarding acts of violence.
The two defendants stand accused of recruiting students from Sisingamangaraja XII University to rally outside the council building. The protest, which called for the established of a new province called Tapanuli, quickly turned violent, prosecutor Muliani told the court.
He claimed that Rudolf, a deputy rector at the university, addressed the protesters before they marched to the council.
"Defendant Rudolf Marpaung led the students to forcibly storm the council building, damaging its front gate," Muliani said.
The violence, he added, forced council speaker Abdul Aziz Angkat to suspend the meeting, which was examining four draft bylaws.
The judges adjourned the trial Tuesday until June 30 to hear the defense pleas from the two defendants.
At a separate trial, councilor Ali Nafiah Harahap said in his testimony that the Sisingamangaraja students acted violently during the protest.
"I witnessed their brutality when they ransacked the facilities at the council," he said at the trial of suspect Gelmok Samosir.
Ali said the protesters also forced the council speaker to stage an immediate plenary session to endorse a proposal for Tapanuli province.
While carrying a coffin during the protest, protesters threatened Abdul Aziz Angkat with "death" unless he approved the proposal, Ali added.
Aziz died of a heart attack just hours after he was set upon by the mob during the anarchy.
