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Munir murder conviction quashed | Munir murder conviction quashed |
(30 minutes later) | |
An Indonesian pilot sentenced to 14 years for murdering prominent rights activist Munir has had his conviction quashed by the Supreme Court. | An Indonesian pilot sentenced to 14 years for murdering prominent rights activist Munir has had his conviction quashed by the Supreme Court. |
Pollycarpus Priyanto was found guilty of poisoning a glass of orange juice served to Munir Thalib during a flight to Amsterdam in September 2004. | |
But the Supreme Court ruled there was not enough evidence to convict him. | But the Supreme Court ruled there was not enough evidence to convict him. |
However, the court did find him guilty of falsifying documents, for which he was sentenced to two years jail. | However, the court did find him guilty of falsifying documents, for which he was sentenced to two years jail. |
A district-level court had sentenced Priyanto last December and the judgement was confirmed by an appeals court. | |
Iconic activist | |
But the Supreme Court judgement will be likely to throw the case open once more as nobody but Priyanto was sentenced over the killing. | |
Munir, a prominent and vocal critic of the government and the military, died of arsenic poisoning as he flew to Amsterdam to begin studying for a Master's degree in September 2004. | |
A prominent human rights activist, Munir earned his reputation during the years of the Suharto dictatorship, when he frequently clashed with Indonesia's entrenched interests. | |
He once said that he had "lost count" of the number of death threats he had received. | |
His refusal to bow to pressure had earned him iconic status among other dissidents who suffered for their decision to challenge the authorities. | |
His death, at 38 years of age, enraged many Indonesians. |
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