International Breaking News

The Canadian Press - ONLINE EDITION

Indonesian court sentences Afghan man to 6 years in prison for smuggling asylum seekers

By: The Associated Press

Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013 at 4:16 AM | Comments: 0

Dawood Amiri, of Afghanistan, sits before his sentence is announced during his trial in Jakarta, Indonesia Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013. An Indonesian court sentenced Amiri to six years in prison for smuggling asylum seekers from Indonesia to Australia. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)

JAKARTA, Indonesia - An Indonesian court sentenced an Afghan man to six years in prison Wednesday for smuggling asylum seekers to Australia.

The East Jakarta District Court found Dawood Amiri guilty of violating Indonesia's immigration law and conspiring with an international syndicate that smuggled asylum seekers from Indonesia to Australia.

The court found he was involved in organizing the voyage of rickety boat of asylum seekers that sank on its way to Christmas Island last year, killing about 90 people. Another 110 people on the boat were rescued.

Prosecutors, who demanded a seven-year jail term, claimed that the defendant acknowledged that the boat was overloaded but did nothing to stop it from sailing to Australia.

In its verdict, the three-member panel also ordered the 20-year-old to pay $79,000.

Amiri, who came to Indonesia about three years ago, was arrested in Jakarta days after the deadly voyage. He told police he was assisted by a Pakistani man who was among the survivors. He had earlier organized three other trips to Australia.

Indonesia has long been a transit point for people fleeing war-ravaged countries on their way to Australia.

Rate this
This article has not yet been rated.

We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high. If you thought it was well written, do the same. If it doesn’t meet your standards, mark it accordingly.

You can also register and/or login to the site and join the conversation by leaving a comment.

Rate it yourself by rolling over the stars and clicking when you reach your desired rating. We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high.

Sort by: Newest to Oldest | Oldest to Newest | Most Popular 0 Comments

You can comment on most stories on brandonsun.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

There are no comments at the moment. Be the first to post a comment below.

Post Your Comment

The Brandon Sun does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. Comments are moderated before publication. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.