Ferdinand Sitting On The Patient Chair, Prosecutor: The Defendant Broadcasts Fake News And Makes Troubles In The Community

JAKARTA - Social media activist Ferdinand Hutahaean has been charged with intentionally committing a riot by uploading a tweet on social media Twitter, which is considered to be false news regarding Islam.

"The defendant Ferdinand Hutahaean, as the owner of the Twitter account Ferdinand Hutahaean @FerdinandHaean3 broadcast false news or notifications, intentionally causing trouble among the people," said Public Prosecutor Baringin Sianturi when reading the indictment at the Central Jakarta District Court, Tuesday, February 15 quoted from Between.

In the indictment, the prosecutor explained that the @FerdinandHaean3 account was created by Ferdinand Hutahaean, who also serves as the head of the Independent Community Justice Foundation, in May 2020.

On January 3, 2022, at 08.05 WIB, Ferdinand tweeted "Today Bahar Smith is scheduled to be questioned at the West Java Regional Police for hate speech. We urge the West Java Police to establish Bahar Smith as a SUSPECT and DETERMINED for justice. Those who agree with me please Retweet".

On the same day, at 16.28 WIB, Ferdinand also uploaded the tweet "Hopefully arrested so this nation will calm down", by including a screenshot of news from an online media portal entitled "Bahar Bin Smith: If I am immediately arrested, justice and democracy will die in the Republic of Indonesia. ".

Furthermore, on January 4, 2022, Ferdinand republished several tweets related to the development of the Bahar Bin Smith case, which was at 06.25 WIB containing "Don't these people understand that the investigation has not been completed. The police can't provide information? Who told you to wait there anyway?? Instead of going home to accompany the child and wife, looking for food for the child and wife, it's like this."

Furthermore, at 06.44 WIB, Ferdinand tweeted again "Thank you to friends who have supported the Police by means of RT or Like my tweet yesterday. We express our appreciation to the Police who continue to improve the work culture that is more humane and not arrogant. The Police are brave, the Police are firm, Trusted Police", as well as linking to the @DivHumas_Polri and @ListyoSigitP accounts.

Ferdinand's account tweet continued, at 06.58 WIB, saying "Not only Bahar Bin Smith, the West Java Regional Police have also determined the uploader of the Lecture Video to be a Suspect. So there is no reason to call this criminalization, TR who uploaded the video is also TSK. This is purely law enforcement for justice." The tweet brought back the accounts of @DivHumas_Polri and @ListyoSigitP.

Then, at 10.25 WIB, Ferdinand also tweeted "Gaya only!", as a comment on @yusuf_dumdum's tweet, namely "where were all these bodyguards when Bahar was arrested?"

The tweet continued, at 10.31 WIB, "The lecture accused the Police of killing 6 FPI guard Rizieq. He was slandered with the words killed, tortured, skinned, had his nails removed, his genitals burned, even though the autopsy of the corpse was clearly not there. make him languish in prison for a long time..!!".

"The defendant spread this false news, where it was clear that the defendant had a direct role in broadcasting false news or notifications, which could not be accounted for and deliberately caused trouble among the people," said Prosecutor Baringin.

The culmination of all of Ferdinand's tweets, according to the prosecutor, was Ferdinand's tweet at 10:54 WIB, saying "It is a pity that your God is weak and must be defended. If I were, my God is extraordinary, omnipotent, He is always my defender and my God does not need to be defended".

"The defendant's words were clearly not only directed at Bahar Bin Smith and his group, but those who were hurt by the defendant's words were adherents of the Islamic religion throughout Indonesia; and it is possible that Muslims around the world were offended and angry because of the lies conveyed by the defendant on his Twitter​​​," explained Baringin.

The chaos among the people caused by Ferdinand's tweet was shown by a demonstration in Solo, on January 7, 2022, by a number of elements of society who are members of the Indonesia Raya organization. Members of the organization include the Indonesian Youth National Committee (KNPI), the Islamic Student Association (HMI) and the United Islamic Community Forum (FUIB).

In addition, invitations appeared on social media using the hashtags, namely #TangkapFerdinand and #TangkapFerdinandHutahaean one day after Ferdinand uploaded a tweet insulting Islam.

Ferdinand's actions on social media are subject to criminal sanctions based on Article 14 paragraph (1) or paragraph (2) of Law Number 1 of 1946 concerning the Criminal Law Regulation and Article 45A paragraph (2) jo. Article 28 paragraph (2) of RI Law No.19 of 2016 concerning Amendments to Law No. 11 of 2008 concerning Information and Electronic Transactions (ITE) or Article 156 of the Criminal Code.