104 People Become Suspects Of Fake COVID-19 News, Most Of Them In Jakarta

Karo Penmas, National Police Public Relations Division Brigadier General Awi Setiyono (Photo: Police Public Relations)

JAKARTA - The National Police said that they had arrested 104 suspects in cases of allegedly spreading fake news or hoaxes during 2020. The spread of hoaxes was related to the spread of COVID-19.

"That Bareskrim and Polda ranks have prosecuted 104 suspects. Consisting of 66 men and 38 women," said Karo Penmas, Police Public Relations Division Brigadier General Awi Setiyono to reporters, Tuesday, November 24.

Of the hundreds of suspects, 17 of them were ordered to be detained. While the rest are only subject to compulsory reporting or not being detained.

Awi said, of the hundreds of suspects, the most cases were handled by Polda Metro Jaya. The rest are scattered throughout the Polda ranks.

"For areas with the highest hoaxes related to COVID-19, namely Polda Metro Jaya with 14 cases, Polda East Java with 12 cases, and Polda Riau as many as 9 cases," said Awi.

Then, there are at least 6 types of fake news that are mostly handled, among others, about the death toll from COVID-19, the spread of COVID-19, foreign nationals (WNA) who carry the virus, and the spread of photos as if there was COVID-19 transmission.

Furthermore, the matter of insulting state officials. Finally, regarding the spread of fake news about the government.

"Everything is based on disclosures from January 30 to November 24, 2020," he said.

The suspects were accused of Articles 28 and 45 of the ITE Law and Article 14 and Article 15 of Law Number 1 of 1946 and Article 16 of the Law regarding the elimination of racial and ethnic discrimination.