High court cuts convicts’ sentences

North Sumatra High Court has reduced the prison terms of 32 people found guilty for their involvement in a violent demonstration in February last year, in which North Sumatra legislative speaker Abdul Aziz Angket died. Some the convicts have subsequently been released.

The court reduced the sentence of former National People’s Concern Party (PPRN) chairman Pustaha Nurdin Manurung from one-and-a-half years to 10-and-a-half months, and Djumongkas Hutagaol’s prison term from two years to eight months.

Court spokesman Jatinar Nababan said Thursday that judges had taken into consideration a number of factors in their decision to reduce the sentences of convicts at the appeal level, such as their young age and that most of them were university students, and their health because some had fallen ill because of their old age.

“The judges have considered all aspects in determining the verdicts,” Jatinar said, adding that the court ruling could serve as a deterrent for convicts who received sentence remissions.

He said 48 of the 69 convicts had filed for appeals to the Medan District Court ruling. Of the 48
convicts, North Sumatra High Court had decided to reduce the sentences of 32.

One of the convicts who received a significant sentence remission is Gelmok Samosir, the coordinator of the rally, whose sentence was reduced from four-and-a-half years to one-and-a-half years.

North Sumatra Prosecutor’s Office spokesman Edi Irsan said after announcement of the decision on Thursday that his office had not discussed the move since it had only just received notice of the decision.

“We have 14 days to study the court’s rulings. We may file an appeal at the Supreme Court over the rulings,” Edi told The Jakarta Post.

Separately, relatives of the late Abdul Aziz Angkat have expressed their disappointment at the decision.

Aziz’s son, Agung Wibowo Angkat, raised doubts over the judges’ decision of cutting back the sentences of the convicts.