Lawyer Rizieq Shihab Insists On Offline Session: Otherwise, Session With Wall

JAKARTA - Rizieq Shihab, through his team of lawyers, emphasized that he would still be present in person at the trial for reading the charges at the East Jakarta District Court.

"Stay (offline trial, red) or please have a trial with chairs, tables and walls," Rizieq Shihab's lawyer, Aziz Yanuar, told VOI, Thursday, March 18.

Rizieq Shihab's team of lawyers is still waiting for today's trial process. This trial is a continuation after postponement on Tuesday, March 16.

"We'll see tomorrow (today)," he said.

The East Jakarta District Court (PN) continues to hold trials of the defendant Rizieq Shihab and officials of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) online. Although, previously Rizieq Shihab and the lawyer asked for the trial to be carried out online until they finally walked out.

"The defendant is presented virtually or online. Not present in the courtroom of the East Jakarta District Court," said East Jakarta District Court Public Relations Officer Alex Adam Faisal in his statement, Thursday, March 18.

One of the reasons for the online trial decision is because until now it is still the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the online trial is to avoid the spread of the new corona virus.

There is also an indictment trial that will be held on Friday, March 19, namely the alleged violation of the health protocol (prokes) in Petamburan and the UMMI Hospital swab test with the defendant Rizieq Shihab.

Then, the case of alleged violations of the prokes in Petamburan with the defendants Haris Ubaidillah, Ahmad Sabri Lubis, Ali Alwi Alatas bin Alwi Alatas, Idrus alias Idrus Al-Habsyi, and Maman Suryadi.

Finally, the case trial was related to the results of the swab test with the defendant Muhammad Hanif Alatas.

Rizieq Shihab still refused to attend the virtual hearing on the case related to the swab test at UMMI Hospital in Bogor. The panel of judges decided to postpone the trial of reading the charges.

"So our officers at Bareskrim have tried their best, but the defendant insisted that he did not want to continue. However, we are still trying because until now we have not yet wanted to attend, ”said the public prosecutor at a hearing at the East Jakarta District Court, Tuesday, March 16.

Presiding judge Khadwanto decided that the trial would be postponed until Friday, March 19.

"Our trial is postponed on Friday, March 19 for the reading of the charges," he said.

Rizieq Shihab's trial was suspended for 30 minutes because Rizieq Shihab and his lawyer chose to walk out. There was tension in the courtroom because the lawyer protested the judge's decision to continue the virtual trial.

Meanwhile, Rizieq Shihab at the beginning of the trial asked to be presented in the courtroom at the East Jakarta District Court. This time, Rizieq Shihab is undergoing a trial for the case of the UMMI Hospital in Bogor.

"I want to be present in person in the courtroom, I ask to be presented not at the Police Headquarters room but in the East Jakarta District Court courtroom," Rizieq Shihab said in a virtual session, Tuesday, March 16.

Rizieq Shihab who was at the National Police Headquarters said that his presence in the courtroom was the defendant's right. Rizieq said that the health protocol cannot be used as an excuse for not being present in the courtroom.

"The trial is a national and international spotlight. I ask the panel of judges to cooperate for a quality and quality trial because it is witnessed by the international community," said Rizieq.

Rizieq Shihab then walked out with a lawyer. Rizieq rejects the online trial. The judge questioned Rizieq Shihab's action to the prosecutor. The prosecutor, according to the judge, should have anticipated the trial proceeding.

"There is already trial management, the defendant may not leave the courtroom seat without the panel's permission. Yes, if the defendant without permission casually leaves, there has never been an ongoing trial. It can't be like that, "said chief judge Khadwanto in Rizieq Shihab's trial at East Jakarta District Court, Tuesday, March 15.

Rizieq Shihab and his lawyer, from the beginning of the trial, had rejected the virtual trial. Rizieq Shihab attended the trial from Bareskrim Polri. Meanwhile, judges, prosecutors and lawyers are in the East Jakarta District Court.

"Why was the defendant not there? Please answer it the same as the court here. Can he go? You can't, you just go. So this must be understood, the analogy is the same as this trial, ”said the judge.