Indonesia: HRW presses Jakarta on minorities

Human Rights Watch in a letter from New York to Indonesia's Judiciary Commission called for enhanced monitoring of the trials of those charged in the February attack.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: UPI | Special Report
By  UPI | June 17, 2011

NEW YORK, June 17 (UPI) -- Indonesia hasn't had much success in prosecuting crimes against religious minorities, an issue that could make the problem worse, Human Rights Watch said.

Three members of the Ahmadiyya community were killed and five were seriously injured in a mob attack in February.

Human Rights Watch in a letter from New York to Indonesia's Judiciary Commission called for enhanced monitoring of the trials of those charged in the February attack.


"Indonesia has often failed to successfully prosecute crimes targeting religious minorities, exacerbating a culture of violent persecution," Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. "The Judiciary Commission should monitor these trials to strengthen justice in response to anti-Ahmadiyya attacks."

Meanwhile, a court in Jakarta sentenced radical cleric Abu Bakar Bashir to 15 years in prison for soliciting funds allegedly used in terrorist attacks.

In earlier trials, he had been accused of playing a role in the 2002 bombings in Bali and the 2003 bomb attack at the J.W. Marriott in Jakarta


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