O

strong>Oct. 17, p5

Judges at Sleman District Court in Yogyakarta sentenced pesantren (Islamic boarding school) caretaker Abdul Kholik to three months in jail on Thursday for attacking Catholics who were conducting a prayer session in May.

According to the panel of judges presided over by Marliyus, Abdul was convicted for violating Article 170 of the Criminal Law Procedures Code (KUHAP) on joint attacks that caused injury to others.

'€œThe defendant did not just injure others but also caused unrest in the community,'€ Marliyus said as he read out the verdict on Thursday. The assault took place on May 29 when dozens of Catholics took part in a rosary prayer session at the house of Julius Felicianus in Sleman.

Your comments:

How did this person come to think that people of different faiths are our enemy and should be attacked?

Deedee S

This is the type of case where the punishment/sentence should not be left to the judges'€™ discretion. It should be mandatory.

This would take away any blame or ill-will from the judges as the sentence would be mandated by law to ensure fairness and uniformity throughout Indonesia.

To seek the desired outcome is simply a matter of framing the charges: it could be interpreted as a violation of basic human rights, it could be framed as a charge of causing grievous harm/injury, it could even be a gross violation of the nation'€™s Constitution that guarantees freedom of worship or a combination of some/all of the above.

In other words, he can walk free (as in this case) or spend the rest of his days praying in a cell.

Pauloh

That person should never see the light of day again.

The entire proceeding was a sham.

Start to finish. The court just wanted everyone to think it handed down a punishment knowing full well he will walk free to do more harm.

If he hadn'€™t been detained up until the trial, he would have been found not guilty and walked away.

X. Simaging

This kind of punishment can'€™t possibly serve as a deterrent.

Iau Aro

This is the Indonesian justice system for its minority citizens, out of fear and intimidation.

The court should have acquitted him then and there and compensated for the few hours he stayed over the sentence.

Dinero

A sentence of three months in jail may not reflect the brutality he has done to the substantial values of humanity.

It'€™s so unfair! However let'€™s bear in mind that punishment is not for revenge, but to lessen violence.

If we destroy human rights and the rule of law in response to terrorism, they have won.

Fussion

Let him go free. We have forgiven him and will continue congregating in hidden places if necessary, just like what our predecessors, the disciples and early Christians, did to avoid violent threats from Roman and Jewish authorities.

Hence, we are used to living in this kind of situation.

Robby Kaware