[CHARGE] Hanif Alatas Indicted For Spreading Hoaxes Saying Habib Rizieq Healthy Even Though COVID-19

Rizieq Shihab (DOK. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Muhammad Hanif Alatas was charged with spreading false information or hoaxes about Rizieq Shihab's health condition. Hanif Alatas said Rizieq Shihab was healthy even though he was confirmed by COVID-19 while undergoing treatment at the UMMI Hospital, Bogor, West Java.

"Doing, who ordered to do, and who participated in the act, by broadcasting false news or reports, deliberately publishing disturbances among the people," said the prosecutor reading out the indictment at the trial at the East Jakarta District Court, Friday, March 19.

In the indictment, the prosecutor stated that the spread of this hoax began on November 23, 2020. The defendant Hanif Alatas at that time contacted Dr. Hadiki to report the condition of Rizieq Shihab, who had a health complaint.

Then, Dr. Hadiki asked permission to check Rizieq Shihab's health. Defendant Hanif Alatas also allowed it.

After being examined, Rizieq was also tested positive for COVID-19. Not only that, Rizieq's wife, Fadlun bint Fadil was also declared exposed.

Afterwards, Rizieq and his wife were treated at the UMMI Hospital, Bogor on November 24, 2020. Both of them underwent treatment in the President Suite room, 5th floor, room number 502.

The news about Rizieq, who was undergoing treatment, spread. The Managing Director of UMMI Hospital, Dr. Andi Tatat, then gave a statement regarding Rizieq Shihab's healthy condition on November 26.

Defendant Hanif Alatas sent a video containing information on Rizieq Shihab's well-being to Zulfikar via the Whatsapp short message application. The video was uploaded by the Youtube channel of the UMMI Official Hospital on November 29.

In fact, two days earlier Kompas TV uploaded a video showing Hanif Alatas calling Rizieq Shihab in good health. In addition, the video also shows Rizieq still receiving guests and eating together in the hospital room.

"Even though the statement in the video did not match the results of the antigen swab examination by dr. Hadiki Habib on Rizieq Shihab and his wife who were declared COVID-19, it was confirmed by the results of the examination by dr. Nerina Mayakartifa as in the medical record of UMMI Hospital number 022678 on behalf of Moh. Rizieq with a diagnosis of COVID-19 Pneumonia, "said the prosecutor.

With the video, the prosecutor said that there was a mess. This is because the Padjadjaran Bersatu Community Forum (FMPB) held a demonstration on November 30. The action was because they believed Rizieq Shihab was still positive for COVID-19 but had already been discharged from the hospital.

"With the video showing which contradicts the reality, it creates confusion among the people and causes uproar both for and against," said the prosecutor.

Muhammad Hanif Alatas was charged with Article 14 paragraph (1), paragraph (2), Article 15 of Law Number 1 Year 1946 concerning Criminal Law Regulations and / or Article 14 paragraph (1), paragraph (2) Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 4 1984 concerning Communicable Disease Outbreaks and / or Article 216 of the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) 1st of the Criminal Code.