Islamic cleric's prison stay cut by six years
- 13 years ago
Islamist cleric Abu Bakar Bashir shown walking out of an Indonesian court in June.
On Thursday the controversial figure, convicted of working with a paramilitary group with aims to assassinate the president, had his jail sentence cut by six years.
Court officials defended the decision.
SOUNDBITE (Bahasa Indonesia) JAKARTA HIGH COURT SPOKESPERSON ACHMAD SOBARI SAYING:
"The High Court has decided to reduce the sentence of the defendant for humanitarian reasons, also considering his old age. We think that he deserved to get nine years in prison."
Critics responded by saying Bashir did not deserve mercy.
Bashir is considered by many the spiritual leader of a militant group that killed more than 200 people in attacks on two nightclubs in Bali in 2002.
His original 15-year sentence was handed down last week.
Jessica Gray, Reuters
On Thursday the controversial figure, convicted of working with a paramilitary group with aims to assassinate the president, had his jail sentence cut by six years.
Court officials defended the decision.
SOUNDBITE (Bahasa Indonesia) JAKARTA HIGH COURT SPOKESPERSON ACHMAD SOBARI SAYING:
"The High Court has decided to reduce the sentence of the defendant for humanitarian reasons, also considering his old age. We think that he deserved to get nine years in prison."
Critics responded by saying Bashir did not deserve mercy.
Bashir is considered by many the spiritual leader of a militant group that killed more than 200 people in attacks on two nightclubs in Bali in 2002.
His original 15-year sentence was handed down last week.
Jessica Gray, Reuters