Indonesia pop star jailed for porn tapes

An Indonesian pop star who rocked the predominantly Muslim nation after several home-made sex tapes found their way to the internet…

An Indonesian pop star who rocked the predominantly Muslim nation after several home-made sex tapes found their way to the internet has been sentenced to three and a half years in jail.

Nazril "Ariel" Irham's trial has made headlines and dominated chatter on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter for more than three months.

Fans insist he did nothing wrong, making the tapes in the privacy of his own home.

But Islamic hard-liners warned that his actions had contributed to the country's moral decline.

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The 29-year-old singer - who said the videos were stolen and posted online without his knowledge - was the first celebrity to be found guilty of violating the country's strict anti-pornography law that went into effect in 2008.

Presiding Judge Singgih Budi Prakoso said the star made the videos with two celebrity girlfriends and did nothing to prevent their distribution.

He sentenced him to three and a half years in jail - well short of the maximum 12, angering hundreds of protesters who gathered outside - and fined him $25,000.

"As a public figure, the defendant should be aware that fans might imitate his behaviour," Judge Prakoso said, adding that Ariel, lead singer of the group, Peterpan, also showed no remorse.

Indonesia, a secular country of 237 million people, has more Muslims than any other country in the world.

Though most are moderate, a small extremist fringe has become more vocal in recent years. They have pushed through controversial laws - like the anti-porn bill - and attacked anything they perceive as blasphemous, from transvestites and bars to "deviant" religious sects.

More than 500 demonstrators turned out today, some pelting the police vehicle carrying Ariel to the court with rotten eggs and tomatoes. Others held placards criticizing the star.

When the verdict was read out, a man on a bull horn shouted, "Too light! Too light!" and others charged past police to the gates of the courthouse.

"More years for Ariel!" shouted Kurnia Maryati, a 33-year-old mother of three who was wearing an Islamic headscarf.

"He made a porn movie that's harmful for our children," she said. "I'm sure many followed him after they downloaded the videos on their mobile phones."

The videos were made public in June.

The first six-minute clip purportedly showed Ariel in bed with his girlfriend, Luna Maya, a top model and actress who joined him at the court today. She broke down in tears when the ruling was read out.

The second clip showed him with a former girlfriend, also a popular model and television presenter.

AP