Cause Of Death Of Ustaz Maaher Prone To Hoaks, Police Wanti-Wanti With Criminal Law

Ustaz Maaher At Thuwailibi alias Soni Ernata (Photo: @ustadzmaheer_)

JAKARTA - The sad news came from Ustaz Maaher At Thuwailibi alias Soni Ernata. He died in the Police Criminal Investigation cell, Monday, February 8 at around 19.00 WIB.

The National Police Headquarters also provided an explanation about the cause of Maaher's death, which was said to be due to illness.

Head of the Public Relations Division of the National Police, Inspector General Argo Yuwono, revealed that it all started when the hate speech case involving Ustaz Maaher had entered stage 2 which meant that in the near future Ustaz Maaher would be handed over to the Prosecutor's Office for trial.

But before the process was carried out, Maaher complained of pain. So, prison officials including a team of doctors took him to the Kramat Jati Police Hospital. Maaher is said to have undergone treatment for 5 days at the National Police Hospital.

"After being treated and declared cured, the person concerned was brought back to the Bareskrim Detention Center," said Argo, Monday, February 8.

Then, the investigator continues the stage 2 process. After everything was finished, Maaher complained of pain again.

Prison officers and a team of doctors suggested that they be taken to the National Police Hospital, but the person concerned did not want to until he died.

"Regarding the pain, what team of doctors knows better," he said.

A day later, Argo conveyed several things related to the results of the doctor's team examination based on medical records. However, he stressed that he could not convey the illness that was suffered by Maaher At-Tahuwailibi alias Soni Ernata.

"I cannot convey what the pain was because it was sensitive, this could be related to the good name of the deceased," said Head of Public Relations of the Police, Inspector General Argo Yuwono to reporters, Tuesday, February 9.

Most importantly, said Argo, the police medicine has provided care to Maaher while complaining of illness

"From the doctor's statement and the treatment, Soni Ernata's brother has a sensitive illness which can make the family's good name tarnished if we mention it here," said Argo.

By not clearly conveying the cause of Maaher's death, there was mixed news about the matter.

One of the information that mentions the cause of Maaher's death is being tortured at the Police detention center and experiencing severe skin pain. Maaher was then rushed to the National Police Hospital but was sent back to the detention house even though his condition had not yet recovered.

This information was uploaded by Ade Armando on his twitter account, @ Adearmando1, on Monday, February 8 yesterday and at the same time linking it to the account that first distributed it, Pribumi Bangkit. This University of Indonesia (UI) Communication lecturer said that this was slander.

"In fact, I got news that he died from an illness that I cannot name yet because if it turns out it will drop Maher's name. Do you need to open up?" tweeted Ade Armando quoted by VOI.

The National Police responded by issuing an appeal so that the public would not easily believe the news that was circulating. This is because these reports cannot be accounted for.

"Regarding the death of the person concerned, it has been explained by the police that the person concerned died due to illness," said Karo Penmas, Police Public Relations Division Brigadier General Rusdi Hartono.

"The public should not easily believe irresponsible news, if there is any doubt ask the competent party," he continued.

Rusdi also reminded the public not to participate in spreading baseless news. Because, later on, this could lead to the spread of false information or hoaxes that lead to crimes.

"And don't spread fake news, because it is a criminal act," he said.

Meanwhile, other parties also responded to the maze about the cause of Ustaz Maaher's death. One of them, namely, Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly Hidayat Nur Wahid.

Through his personal Twitter account @hnurwahid, he asked the National Police to transparently open the chronology of Maaher's death, which was involved in a case of hate speech that smelled of SARA against Habib Lutfi bin Yahya.

"In order not to become slanderous, it is important that the police provide an open (transparent) and professional explanation about the cause of the death of Ustadz Maaher," tulia Hidayat Nur Wahid.

In addition, social media activist Eko Kuntadhi also tweeted about the death of the late Maaher.

According to Eko, it is not right for Maaher's death to be made a hoax. "Prayers should not be used as material for spreading hoaxes. It is really horrible, even the death of the person who has been standing with his group has been twisted like crazy," tweeted Eko @eko_kuntadhi without mentioning the name of the party who spread the hoax of Maaher's death.

"Pity the late Sony. May Allah clear the way," he tweeted again.

In fact, to make this clear, the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) will step in. In the near future Komnas HAM will ask for information from the Police.

Komnas HAM commissioner Choirul Anam said the request for information would be made in the near future. This is because the death of a prisoner in a detention center as experienced by Ustaz Maaher is a concern for Komnas HAM.

"The death of a detainee needs in-depth information. Even though the police have said he died sick, it is important to know what kind of pain he was and how the pain took place in the prison and until he died," he said.

As information, Ustaz Maaher was named a suspect because he was suspected of having insulted Habib Lutfi.

He was charged with Article 45 paragraph (2) in conjunction with Article 28 paragraph (2) of Law Number 19 of 2016 concerning Amendments to Law Number 11 of 2008 concerning Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE), with a maximum penalty of six years in prison.