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Officer gets 3 months for assaulting journalist
The Medan Military High Court sentenced on Tuesday Lt
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he Medan Military High Court sentenced on Tuesday Lt. Col. Robert Simanjuntak, former head of the Roesmin Nurjadin airbase personnel office in Pekanbaru, Riau, to three months in jail for assaulting Riau Post photographer Didik, who was covering the Indonesian Air Force Skyhawk 200 fighter jet crash last year.
The assault took place in Kampar regency, Riau, on Oct. 16. A photograph and video, which captured the moment when Robert grabbed Didik, went viral and sparked protests among journalists and activists across the nation.
'The Military High Court is sentencing Lt. Col. Robert Simanjuntak to three months in jail, deducting his detention period, and orders him to pay case fees of Rp 25,000 (US$2.2),' presiding judge Col. Djodi Suranto said in Pekanbaru on Tuesday.
'Based on the evidence, the defendant has been found guilty of intentionally assaulting the victim. There was no justification for his misconduct; therefore, the defendant must be punished,' he said.
Robert was detained for 20 days after the incident. Djodi also said that Robert's act had tarnished the good name of the Indonesian Military (TNI).
Robert said he was still considering the verdict. 'I hoped that I would get a lighter sentence,' he said after the hearing.
'One thing's for sure, I am relieved. My family and I were under tremendous pressure because the public had 'punished' me even before the verdict. But it's all over now,' he added.
