Rizieq Shihab Crowd Makes COVID-19 Spike In Petamburan, Worsens Public Health Emergencies

The trial for the reading of Rizieq Shihab's indictment today

JAKARTA - The crowd in Petamburan, Jakarta, has caused a surge in COVID-19 cases. Rizieq Shihab was accused of inciting the public to attend the commemoration of the Prophet's birthday as well as the marriage of his daughter.

"As a result of the gathering of thousands of people at this event, there has been a spike in the spread of COVID-19 in Petamburan and its surroundings, as the results of the sample test from the Tanah Abang Health Center are data sent by the Tanah Abang Health Center in November 2020 with 259 samples sent and test results. 33 laboratories confirmed positive and 226 negative samples, ”said the prosecutor reading the indictment letter at the East Jakarta District Court, Friday, March 19.

"With the completion of the defendant's daughter's wedding ceremony, the public health emergency is worsening, with the COVID-19 disease pandemic increasing," said the prosecutor.

Rizieq Shihab was charged with incitement to the appearance of a crowd at his daughter's wedding as well as commemorating the Prophet's birthday in Petamburan, Central Jakarta. This crowd takes place in the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

"Doing, who orders to do and who participates in doing actions in public orally or in writing incites to commit a criminal act of health quarantine as referred to in Article 93 of Law Number 6 of 2018 concerning Health Canteen, committing violence against public authorities or disobeying both the provisions of the Law and a position order given is based on the provisions of the law, ”said the prosecutor reading the indictment.

According to prosecutors, Rizieq Shihab and Haris Ubaidillah, Ahmad Sabri Lubis, Ali Alwi Alatas, Idrus alias Idrus Al Habsyi and Maman Suryadi, incited incitement to the emergence of a crowd in Petamburan.

In the indictment, the prosecutor explained that Rizieq Shihab had planned to return to Indonesia to marry his daughter Syarifah Najwa Shibab. This plan was followed up with the formation of a committee, namely Ahmad Sabri Lubis, Ali Alwi Alatas, Haris Ubaidillah.

Preparations were made by renting tents and all the necessities for the commemoration of the Prophet's birthday and the wedding of Rizieq's daughter, Syarifah Najwa Shihab, including paying a down payment for the tent and repayment on November 16, 2020. The committee also prepared a letter requesting permission to the Central Jakarta Sub-dept.

According to the prosecutor, the incitement occurred when Rizieq Shihab attended the Prophet's birthday in Tebet on November 13, 2020. At this event, Rizieq Shihab openly conveyed his daughter's wedding invitation and the commemoration of the Prophet's birthday in Petamburan.

"Everyone here, God willing, tomorrow night at Petamburan we will hold a memorial for the birthday of the Prophet, brothers and sisters, at the same time I invite all the habaib because we will also marry our fourth daughter. Ready to attend? " the prosecutor quoted Rizieq Shihab as saying in the indictment.

There is also notification of activities via video on YouTube uploaded by Haris Ubaidillah.

"The incitement of Haris Ubaidillah and the defendant conveyed to the public via Youtube is against the government's efforts to reduce the crowd so that the spread of COVID-19 does not arise," said the prosecutor.