‘We have no choice but to go forward’: Women and girls in Indonesia fight for rights

A group of young Indonesian women in Jakarta, who were arrested for protesting against the death penalty, have been sentenced to up to 14 years in prison.

Their lawyers told the Jakarta Post that the men have committed crimes in the country, including “felony crimes” against women, and have been held for over two years.

“We have been forced to plead guilty to the crime, and we are very disappointed,” lawyer Aya Mok, who represents the women, said in a video message to the media on Tuesday.

“We were taken to court, we have no other option but to plead out and go to jail.”

Indonesia has the world’s third-highest number of executions, and the country is among the top execution destinations in the world.

In 2015, Amnesty International said Indonesia executed more people than any other country.

Aya Muhineng, who was arrested for allegedly participating in a protest, said she was “saddened” by the verdicts.

“I hope this case will not deter others from joining the protest,” Muhinseng said in an interview with Al Jazeera.

“If you’re innocent, and you’re not guilty, why do you need to be punished?”

Muhinens arrest in 2015Aya says she and her co-defendant were arrested in 2015 in the city of Bandung.

They were arrested after a police station in Bandung was searched by a police unit, she said.

Muhinsen was accused of taking part in a March protest in Bandampung against the killing of a man who was accused by his wife of murder.

The women’s lawyer, Fauzia Sibut, said that in the trial, she presented evidence that proved that Muhinas wife, Suwaid, was the perpetrator of the murder, and that she was not involved in the murder.

According to Sibuter, a case of murder was opened against Muhina and her husband, and they were charged with murder.

“The women have no way of proving that they were not involved,” Sibit said.

“The case against the men was opened in March 2015, and their case was also closed in May 2015.”

The women were also charged with participating in an illegal demonstration in the capital, Jakarta, where they were arrested.

In October 2015, the women were granted conditional bail and ordered to appear before a judge, Sibuti told Al Jazeera, adding that their case is still pending.

The Women’s Lawyers Association of Indonesia, which represents the four women, told Al-Jazeera that it was “pleased” by Monday’s verdicts and would continue its legal fight for the women’s freedom.

“In addition to our ongoing case against these men, we are also working on a case against this verdict and other similar cases that have been filed against the state,” WLAI President Abdul Hadi al-Jahiri said in statement.

“These verdicts were imposed on us without due process, which was in violation of the Constitution and the laws.”

Muhina’s lawyer said the verdict was unfair because the women had been imprisoned for two years, without trial.

“Their crime was that they did not have a lawyer,” Siba Mahathir told Aljazeera.

“They have no right to the court.”

Sibuti added that the government has failed to hold accountable its political leadership for the brutal crimes committed against the women and girls.

“It’s not the judiciary that is accountable, but the government, which has allowed the crimes to continue,” she said, adding the government “should not be able to keep these criminals in custody.”

Aya, Muhinos wifeMuhinas sister-in-law, also told Al Jazeera that she hopes the verdict is not “a message to other women” to commit crimes.

“As women, we cannot escape from our responsibilities,” she told Al JA.

Amnesty International Indonesia’s director, Sarah Leah Whitson, said the case “undermines the rule of law and erodes the foundations of justice.”””

This is a very sad day for Indonesia.”

Amnesty International Indonesia’s director, Sarah Leah Whitson, said the case “undermines the rule of law and erodes the foundations of justice.”

“Indonesian authorities must urgently investigate all cases of human rights violations,” Whitsons statement said.

Amnesty also called on Indonesia to guarantee the women a fair trial, and called on the government to ensure that the case against its politicians is prosecuted in a fair and transparent manner.

“This verdict sends a chilling message to women and their supporters that they should remain silent,” Whiteson said.