"RMS" sympathizer sentenced to 20 years in jail

Twenty years in jail was a "very appropriate" penalty for Ruben as he had participated in a "cakalele" (traditional war dance) group which had tried to unfurl the RMS flag in front of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and foreign dignitaries at a function to mark National Family Day in Ambon on July 29, 2007, Priyono said.

The defendant himself had admitted the RMS flag was to be displayed to demand the recognition of RMS "sovereignty" which was for the first time declared in 1950, and to show to the Indonesian government and international community that the RMS movement still existed, Priyono added.

The verdict on Ruben was higher than the 12 years imprisonment proposed by the prosecution.

Priyono said the defendant deserved the 20-year sentence partly also because he had not shown any remorse and had during the trials even demanded that the government recognize RMS sovereignty.

The defendant had been an RMS supporter since 2003 and was jailed for 1.4 years for attending an RMS anniversary ceremony in Aboru village in 2003.

After listening to the verdict, Ruben said he accepted the sentence