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Meiliana, imprisoned for complaining about 'adzan' volume, released on parole
Meiliana has been released on parole after serving 12 months of her 18 month sentence for blasphemy.
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Meiliana (center) attends a court hearing at the Medan District Court, North Sumatra. Meiliana was convicted for blasphemy for complaining about the volume of 'adzan' (call to prayer) at a mosque near her house in Tanjungbalai. (The Jakarta Post/Apriadi Gunawan)
M
eiliana, a Buddhist woman of Chinese-descent who was sentenced to 18 months in prison for complaining about the volume of adzan (call to prayer) in Tanjungbalai, North Sumatra, has been released on parole after the Law and Human Rights Ministry granted her request.
She was welcomed by her family and lawyer upon her release from the Tanjung Gusta Women's Penitentiary in Medan, North Sumatra, at around 11 a.m. on Tuesday.
"The Law and Human Rights Ministry granted Meiliana's parole request today, so Meiliana was automatically released today as well," Meiliana's lawyer Ranto Sibarani told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
He added that he had filed a request for Meiliana's parole to the ministry three weeks prior to her release.
Article 15 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) stipulates that inmates may be granted the right to request for parole after serving two-thirds of their prison term.
"Meiliana has served a year in prison, meaning that she has served more than two-thirds of her 18 month sentence," Ranto said.
The Medan District Court found Meiliana guilty of blasphemy under Article 156 and Article156A of the KUHP and sentenced her to 18 months in prison in August 2018.
