Rizieq Shihab Doesn't Expect The Crowd's Enthusiasm To Welcome In Megamendung, Denies Obstacles To The COVID-19 Task Force

JAKARTA - Rizieq Shihab expressed his objection to the prosecutor's charge of violating health protocols in a crowd at Megamendung, Bogor, West Java. Rizieq Shihab emphasized that he obeyed the program.

In the objection note (exception), Rizieq Shihab said that the prosecutor slandered him with the first charge, namely article 93 of Law Number 6/2018 concerning Health Quarantine.

"With this article, the prosecutor slandered me for not obeying the administration of health quarantine and even obstructing the administration of health quarantine, causing a public health emergency," said Rizieq Shihab reading out a personal exception at the trial of the indictment of the Megamendung crowd case at the East Jakarta District Court, Friday, March 26.

In fact, Rizieq Shihab admitted that he did not suspect the welcoming crowd in Megamendung. He stressed adhering to health protocols by wearing a mask and keeping his distance.

“In fact, in the event of my welcoming crowd at Megamendung, I didn't expect it and I wore a mask and kept my distance. I never bothered, let alone hinder the implementation of health quarantine, "he said.

For the second indictment, namely Article 14 paragraph 1 of Law Number 14/1984 concerning Outbreaks of Infectious Diseases, Rizieq Shihab also considers it a slander. He admitted that he had never prevented the implementation of the epidemic prevention.

"My rebuttal to the second indictment is the same as my rebuttal to the first indictment," he said.

Therefore, Rizieq Shihab asked the panel of judges to stop the trial process through an interim decision.

"To the panel of judges, Your Excellency, we ask from our deepest heart that in the interlocutory ruling stop the wrongful legal process against me and my friends and release us unconditionally for the sake of fulfilling a sense of justice as well as saving the legal order and joints of justice in the country which is being undermined. by evil forces that are anti-religion and Pancasila and endanger the integrity of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia, "said Rizieq Shihab.

Rizieq Shihab was charged with failing to comply with the implementation of health quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rizieq Shihab continued to participate in the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Markaz Syariah Agro-Cultural Islamic Boarding School in Kuta Village, Megamendung District, Bogor Regency.

"(The defendant) did not comply with the health quarantine administration as referred to in Article 9 paragraph (1) and / or obstructed the implementation of the Health Quarantine so that it was a public health emergency," said the prosecutor reading out the dakwan at the East Jakarta District Court, Friday, March 19.

In the indictment, Rizieq Shihab's offense first arrived in Indonesia on November 10, 2020. Rizieq Shihab, who had just arrived in Indonesia from Saudi Arabia, was supposed to undergo independent quarantine for 14 days.

However, Rizieq Shihab did not do it. Two days after arriving in Indonesia, Rizieq Shihab actually attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Markaz Syariah Agro-cultural Islamic Boarding School.

The Bogor Regency Government, through Satpol PP, who already knew about the existence of this activity, appealed to the surrounding community not to get involved. The district government put up an appeal banner.

However, the prosecutor said that the appeal was ignored by Rizieq Shihab. Without obtaining a permit from the Bogor Regency COVID-19 Task Force the event was held.

"On Friday, November 13, 2020, the defendant still scheduled to attend to carry out the groundbreaking activity," said the prosecutor.