Trial opens for British academic in Aceh
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Your support makes all the difference.A British academic accused of associating with separatist rebels in Indonesia's troubled Aceh province went on trial yesterday to face charges that carry a maximum five-year prison sentence.
Scottish-born Lesley McCulloch, a lecturer at the University of Tasmania, was arrested 10 weeks ago with an American nurse, Joy Sadler. The two women claim to have been punched and deprived of sleep while in police custody.
They are charged with violating their tourist visas by contacting rebels from the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). Their trial in the provincial capital, Banda Aceh, was adjourned until tomorrow. Both women have denied any wrongdoing, saying they were on holiday in Aceh, a staunchly Muslim province on the northern tip of Sumatra island, when they were picked up by police.
Dr McCulloch has written academic papers on Aceh, where rebels have been fighting for independence since 1976, and is a harsh critic of the Indonesian government.
She said after the 30-minute court hearing that conditions for the pair had improved since their case came to international attention.Asked why she was on trial, she said: "I think it's partly what we saw, and things that I have written in the past, especially about military and police corruption."
A new peace deal is expected to be signed by the warring factions in Aceh next month.
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