Jakarta, wahidinstitute.org
The two Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) members, Rizieq and Munarman, have both been sentenced to 1.5 years in jail for their involvement in the attack on the National Alliance for Freedom of Religion and Belief (AKKBB) at Monas, July 1. The judge read the verdict out during Rizieq and Munarman’s hearing at the Central Jakarta State Court on Thursday (30/10/2008).

Rizieq was declared guilty of instigating others to engage in collective violence against people or property. Munarman was charged for violence to people and property. Both were found guilty of violating Article 170 Verse 1 in conjunction with Article 55 of the Criminal Code. The verdict was lighter than the public prosecutor’s demands of 2 years jail each.

One of the victims of the Monas Tragedy, Ahmad Suaedy, felt the sentence was too short in light of the face that both had been jailed before but had obviously not learnt their lesson. “They are criminals who have been in jail before, surely this weighs in favour of a heavier punishment,” he explained.

As we all know, in 2003 the court found Rizieq guilty of provoking and insulting the government and he was sentenced to 7 month in jail. Meanwhile, Munarman also spent time in the Limo police station cells in Depok at the beginning of December 2007 for striking a Blue Bird taxi driver.

After the judge read out Rizieq’s sentence, FPI members present in the court room went berserk. They shouted insults and taunts at the judges’ council. They vented all their dissatisfaction on the judges.
In addition, 200 or so FPI members caused a commotion outside the Central Jakarta State Court. They came in support of Rizieq and Munarman, and tried to force their way into the court. They attacked the officials who stopped them by showering them with bottles of mineral water and rocks.

The Central Jakarta police tasked 1,700 personnel to secure the hearing and anticipate any anger that the very unsatisfied FPI members might have."One thousand riot police are in the area around Monas, the remaining 700 are spread throughout the Central Jakarta State Court, from floor one to three,” Police Chief Commissioner Heri Wibowo, vice-head of the Central Jakarta police, explained.