These Are 6 Pieces Of Evidence Confiscated By The Police Regarding The Bahar Smith Hate Speech Case

Police Brigadier General Ahmad Ramadhan (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - West Java Police Investigators confiscated at least six pieces of evidence in the case of alleged hate speech containing elements of SARA with reported Bahar Smith. What are the six pieces of evidence?

First, digital evidence. "As for all digital evidence that we have confiscated, and have been sent to the Digital Forensic Laboratory of the Bareskrim Polri Headquarters for examination," said Head of the Public Information Section of the Public Relations Division of the Indonesian Police, Brigadier General Police Ahmad Ramadhan, when confirmed in Jakarta, Saturday, January 1 .

The police previously announced that there were two other pieces of evidence, namely a cellphone in the Garut TKP cluster and a flash drive in the Bandung cluster. Next, there was additional evidence that was confiscated the previous day, namely three pieces of evidence in the form of a laptop, a YouTube account, and an email with the address [email protected].

The investigation into the alleged hate speech containing elements of SARA continues, until now the number of witnesses being examined has increased from 34 to 50 witnesses.

"Developments until today, the witnesses who have been examined have increased to a total of 50 people," said Ramadhan.

Ramadhan explained, to make it easier to identify witnesses, investigators divided the crime scene into two clusters, namely the Bandung cluster as the initial crime scene where Bahar bin Smith gave a lecture that allegedly contained hate speech as many as 15 witnesses and the Garut cluster became 10 witnesses.

Then there were 4 reporting witnesses who were examined and 21 expert witnesses. Regarding the case, Ramadhan said, investigators will continue to develop this case and examine other witnesses as needed professionally and based on the scientific crime investigation method.

Previously, on December 29 last year the West Java Police had escalated the case against Bahar bin Smith into an investigation. The case that ensnared him was related to allegations of hate speech containing elements of SARA.

In this case, Bahar bin Smith was charged with a criminal act of spreading information aimed at causing hatred and/or hostility to individuals and/or groups based on SARA as referred to in the articles of the ITE Law and Article 15 of Law Number 1/1946 concerning the Criminal Law Regulations. Meanwhile, the summons of Bahar bin Smith as a reported witness is scheduled for Monday, January 3, 2022.

Separately, one of Bahar Smith's defenders, Aziz Yanuar, called his client a series of terror attacks from what they called his client's truth-haters or "real terrorists".

The terrorists sent a cardboard box containing three blocks and three dog heads which were still covered in blood. On the cardboard was written the message "don't open". The cardboard was sent to the Tajul Alawiyin Islamic Boarding School in Bogor which is being cared for by his client.

They asked the police to thoroughly investigate the terror, and urged Animal Defender to make the incident a big issue, because some time ago in Aceh, a dog was caught by the Satpol PP and his death became a big issue.

"That we ask the police to thoroughly investigate the cowardly acts of terror by "true terrorists" who hate the truth that were carried out at Bahar bin Smith's residence at the Tajul Alawiyin Islamic Boarding School in Bogor," said Aziz Yanuar in a press statement.

In addition, Yanuar also mentioned the actions of the Commander of Korem 061/Suryakancana, Brigadier General TNI Achmad Fauzi, who visited Smith at his Islamic boarding school, allegedly to scare residents around the boarding school. This action, Yanuar claimed, was a form of abuse of power which he feared could injure good relations between the TNI and the people.