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EMARANG: Temanggung riot defendant Syihabuddin was sentenced on Tuesday to one year in prison. The sentence hearing at Semarang District Court was attended by hundreds of the defendant’s supporters and was heavily guarded by 840 police officers.

Syihabuddin, 46, was convicted by a panel of judges presided over by Edy Tjahyono, and was found to have urged people to attend the trial of religious defamation defendant Antonius Richmond Bawengan at Temanggung District Court on Feb. 8.

The trial attendees became enraged when Antonius was sentenced to only five years’ imprisonment. According to Syihabuddin, Antonius deserved the death penalty. A mass of people then destroyed religious and public facilities and injured a number of people in the post-sentencing melee.

“[Syihabuddin] was proven to have incited the riot thus violating Article 160 of the Criminal Code on incitement,” Edy said.

Responding to the sentence, Syihabuddin, who has been in police detention since Feb. 13, said he would appeal.

Twenty-five suspects have been tried for the involvement in the riot. Of them, 17 were convicted and sentenced to 4-5 months last week, and seven were sentenced to 5 months’ imprisonment each on Tuesday. — JP