ABC Radio Australia

Indonesian clerics ‘interfere’ with legal process, say rights group

…………… An Indonesian court has jailed a minority sect member for six months for defending himself and others from a lynch mob that killed three of his friends earlier this year………………

The sentence was the same or stiffer than those handed out in July to 12 Islamic extremists who led the mob in the February rampage, including a teenager who was filmed crushing one victim’s head with a stone. ……………

Elaine Pearson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch, told Radio Australia’s Connect Asia sentencing in both cases was “influenced”.  “With this particular case we saw hundreds of Islamic militants turning up to court day after day,” she said. “There certainly is a lot of pressure on the prosecutors and the judges.”

Ms Pearson said the prosecution admitted it had taken into consideration a letter that had come from senior Indonesian clerics.

“So we are seeing a bit of interference.”

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