Hands Clenched Up, USK Academician Saiful Mahdi Officially Free Thanks To Presidential Amnesty

BANDA ACEH - Syiah Kuala University (USK) Banda Aceh academic Dr Saiful Mahdi was finally released from prison at the Class II A prison in Banda Aceh after the issuance of Presidential Decree (Keppres) No. 17 of 2021 on granting amnesty.

"Alhamdulillah, today we witnessed the release, and we have submitted an acquittal to Saiful Mahdi, who finished serving his sentence thanks to an amnesty from the President," said Head of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights in Aceh, Meurah Budiman, in Banda Aceh, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, October 13.

The handover of Saiful Mahdi's release letter from the Banda Aceh Prison was handed over directly to Meurah Budiman, and was also witnessed by the Deputy Head of the Aceh Prosecutor's Office and the Banda Aceh Prosecutor's Office.

As is known, Saiful Mahdi was previously convicted based on the results of the Cassation Court (MA) which upheld the decision of the Banda Aceh District Court, he had to serve a three-month prison sentence and a fine of Rp. 10 million.

Saiful Mahdi was punished for his criticism in the USK Banda Aceh internal whatsapp group regarding the results of the selection or CPNS test for the campus Faculty of Engineering lecturer, he was charged with the ITE Law.

President Joko Widodo then granted amnesty to Saiful Mahdi by sending a letter to the Indonesian House of Representatives dated September 29, 2021. Through a plenary meeting, the DPR finally tapped the hammer to approve the granting of the amnesty.

Meurah said, with the amnesty, all matters related to Saiful Mahdi during this legal process will be deleted, even the Rp10 fine money to the state will also be immediately returned.

"Because granting this amnesty abolishes all the punishments he received previously," he said.

Then, said Meurah, regarding Saiful Mahdi's rights in college as a lecturer, it will be resolved internally with the USK Banda Aceh campus.

"If the rights on campus are resolved internally, and what is clear is that all punishments against him have been abolished, as a citizen he (Saiful Mahdi) is clean," said Meurah Budiman.

Meanwhile, Saiful Mahdi thanked the President, DPR, Kemenkopolhukam and all parties who had helped in advocating for the case at hand until an amnesty was issued and he was released from punishment.

"I thank everyone, including my media friends," said Saiful Mahdi.

In addition, Saiful also hopes for the President and the DPR to be able to revise the ITE Law, because apart from him there are still many people who are threatened with punishment as a result of the regulation.

"We ask the President and the DPR to immediately revise the ITE Law, there are still many of our relatives, hundreds of people who are still being investigated by this regulation," he said.

Saiful asserted, after he returned to campus to teach later there would be no change in his critical values, continue to be true and spread kindness.

"As Muslims, as Pancasila people, we all know our duty, that we advocate for good and bad deeds and prevent evil," said Saiful Mahdi.