ABC AUSTRALIA, 02/12/2003 09:27:39
Indonesian court overturns Bashir treason conviction
An Appeals Court in Indonesia has overturned a treason conviction against radical
cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, and reduced his sentence.
Foreign governments, including Australia's, were among those expressing concern
about the original court verdict against Abu Bakar Bashir, which found him guilty of
plotting against the Indonesian government as a member of Jemaah Islamiah, but not
guilty of leading the extremist organisation.
Now, the elderly cleric has been cleared of that treason charge by a higher court with
his sentence reduced by a year to three years in all - that penalty tied to the
remaining convictions for immigration and forgery offences, not overturned in the
appeal decision.
Our Indonesia correspondent, Tim Palmer, says lawyers for Bashir say they will now
move to the Supreme Court to appeal against those convictions.
02/12/2003 09:27:39 | ABC Radio Australia News
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