POSO, Indonesia — Justice dispensed in Indonesia’s religious conflicts seems to favor Muslims over Christians following relatively light sentences given to three Muslim extremists who beheaded three Christian teenagers in Poso, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, in 2005. On March 21, Judge Udar Siregar sentenced Hasanuddin — who goes by a single name — to 20 years in prison, and Irwanto Irano and Lilik Purnomo to 14 years each for the murders. The men could have received the death sentence, but Siregar said he was lenient because the defendants confessed and expressed remorse.
On April 2, less than two weeks after the verdict was handed down, 12 Christians went on trial for the murder of two Muslims. These murders took place during violent protests that followed the Sept. 22, 2006, execution of Fabianus Tibo, Marinus Riwu and Dominggus da Silva — three Catholics whose roles in a 2000 Muslim massacre were far less clear than that of the extremists responsible for the beheadings.
Christians have lobbied against the executions of Tibo, Riwu and da Silva, pointing out that no Muslims had been prosecuted or punished for their role in the conflict.
The 12 Christian defendents could face execution if convicted, according to The Jakarta Post.
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