The Medan District Court jailed Tuesday a political party leader for 18 months for his role in a riot last February that led to the death of North Sumatra Legislative Council speaker Abdul Aziz Angkat.
Nurdin Pustaha Manurung, who heads the provincial branch of the National People's Concern Party (PPRN), was convicted of disrupting a plenary session being held by a legitimate legislative council, which is a punishable offense under the Criminal Code.
The judges, however, acquitted him of inciting the violence during the Feb. 3 protest calling for the establishment of a new province, Tapanuli.
Prosecutors had sought a seven-year sentence for Nurdin, arguing he was involved in inciting the crowd into violence.
Prosecutor Nilma Lubis said the sentence handed down was too lenient, adding her office would appeal.
Nurdin also said he planned to challenge the sentence at a higher court, denying any wrongdoing in the riot.
"I came to the legislative council to sing the national anthem and support the formation of Tapanuli province," he claimed after the sentencing.
"What was wrong with that?"
At a separate trial Tuesday, the same court sentenced Tapanuli University student Immanuel Natanael to two years' imprisonment for his role in the riot.
Immanuel was likewise found guilty of disrupting the same plenary session.
Prosecutors had similarly sought a seven-year sentence for the student.
Laurensius Sibarani, the presiding judge in Nurdin's trial, defended the sentence handed down to the party head by stressing the latter was only found guilty of disrupting the council's plenary session, led by Abdul Aziz, and not guilty of inciting the ensuing violence, for which several other people have already been jailed.
He added all the defendants in the case so far had played different roles during the riot, and had been punished accordingly.
Laurensius also said witnesses had testified to seeing Nurdin enter the council's VIP room when the council speaker was meeting with a delegation in support of the creation of Tapanuli province.
In this room, the judge went on, Nurdin yelled to Abdul Aziz Angkat to immediately approve the proposed establishment of the breakaway province.
Abdul Aziz, who had held the post of speaker for three months, replacing Abdul Wahab Dalimunthe, died of a heart attack after being attacked by pro-Tapanuli activists during the riot.
Nurdin and Immanuel are among dozens of suspects already jailed or still awaiting trial in connection with the riot.
