Indonesia's commitment to free speech and civil rights was questioned yesterday after a Balinese student was sentenced to six months in jail for showing disrespect to the president.

The trial of I Wayan "Gendo" Suardana, accused of burning a photograph of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono last year at a rally protesting against fuel price increases, had become a focal point for advocates of free speech, who mounted daily protests the Bali court hearing the charges.