A local court in Stockholm on Friday rejected a request to detain the Free Aceh Movement, GAM, leaders Zaini Abdullah and Malik Mahmud.
The men were charged with violations of international law.
The court first dismissed evidence against Zaini Abdullah, brought forward by international prosecutor Tomas Lindstrand, as insufficient.
This backlash for Lindstrand prompted him to ask the court to release Malik Mahmud as well, without further hearings.
Zaini Abdullah and Malik Mahmud were apprehended in their apartments in a morning raid Tuesday 15 June, following a six month preliminary investigation led by Tomas Lindstrand. A third suspect, Hasan di Tiro, was not arrested due to frail health.
Despite the prosecution’s defeat, Lindstrand says to local media that his investigation of the GAM leaders will continue.
The GAM issue has soured relations between Sweden and Indonesia, which earlier this year imposed mandatory visas for all Swedish citizens visiting Indonesia.
Two of the three accused GAM Leaders are Swedish citizens, while a third has permanent resident status in Sweden.
