Many Discussed Acehnese Fishermen Sentenced To 5 Years In Prison For Helping Rohingya Refugees, This Is The Real Case

UNSPLASH

JAKARTA - Member of Commission I of the House of Representatives who is also a Gerindra politician, Fadli Zon, strongly protested the 5-year prison sentence against fishermen in North Aceh. According to him, the fisherman was helping Rohingya refugees related to humanity.

Quoted from the Lhoksukon District Court SIPP, one of the fishermen, Abdul Aziz bin M Yusuf, was found by the panel of judges guilty of committing a criminal act of people smuggling.

“The defendant Abdul Aziz Bin M. Yusuf was sentenced to imprisonment for 5 (five) years and a fine of Rp. 500,000,000, - (five hundred million rupiah) provided that if the fine is not paid, it will be replaced with imprisonment for 1 (one) month," said the panel of judges as quoted from the verdict of the Lhoksukon District Court in North Aceh, Thursday, June 17.

In the indictment, Abdul Aziz together with Faisal Afrizal, Afrizal and Shahad Deen smuggled people on June 25, 2020 on the beachfront of Lamcok Village, Syamtalira District, North Aceh.

Faisal Afrizal in the indictment was asked by Adi Jawa Anwar (DPO) and Sahhad Deen to pick up and bring a group of Rohingya ethnic foreigners to Kuala Idi.

The pick-up location is determined by Adi Jawa via short message. On June 16, 2020, Faisal Afrizal came to Adi Jawa's house in Gampong Bengkel, East Aceh to discuss the issue of renting fishing boats and wages to pick up the Rohingya entourage.

“At that time, those at Adi Jawa's house (still being searched for by the Aceh Police/DPO) were the defendant Abdul Aziz Bin M. Yusuf, witness Faisal Afrizal Bin M. Zaini Bakri (who was being prosecuted separately), Adi Jawa and Anwar ( still being searched by the Aceh Regional Police (DPO) and at that time offered witness Faisal Afrizal Bin M. Zaini Bakri (which was prosecuted separately) a wage as captain of Rp. 5,000,000, - (five million) rupiah and for the crew of the ship (ABK) worth Rp. 3,000,000, - (three million) rupiah. Then witness Faisal Afrizal Bin M. Zaini Bakri (who was prosecuted separately) asked Adi Jawa and Anwar (still in search of the Aceh Police/DPO) to pay Rp. 2,500,000,- (two million five hundred thousand) rupiah for every one person who will be picked up, “said the indictment.

Until finally on June 17, 2020, Faisal Afrizal came again to Adi Jawa's house and agreed on a fee for picking up the Rohing group of Rp. 1.6 million per person. There is also talk of renting a boat for Rp. 10 million.

On Saturday 20 June 2020, Abdul Aziz together with Faisal Afrizal and Afrizal bin M Husen departed for the pick-up point with a fish boat with hull number 2017-811 in white and blue which had been rented from Toke Rani.

Then on June 21, 2020, they picked up a group of 99 Rohingya ethnic groups.

On the way to Kuala Idi, precisely in the waters of Jamboe Air, North Aceh, the ship suffered an engine failure. They were tossed about in the ocean.

"That after the defendant's ship arrived at the shoreline, then witness Faisal Afrizal Bin M. Zaini Bakri (who was prosecuted separately) asked the defendant Abdul Aziz Bin M. Yusuf and witness Afrizal alias Raja Bin M.Husen (who was prosecuted separately) separately) to board a fishing boat to ride ashore to buy food and after they finished buying food the defendant Abdul Aziz Bin M. Yusuf and witness Afrizal alias Raja Bin M.Husen (which the prosecution carried out separately) returned to the ship but because they forgot Bringing back the ship's battery, the defendant Abdul Aziz Bin M. Yusuf and witness Afrizal alias Raja Bin M.Husen (which the prosecution carried out separately) returned to the mainland to retrieve the battery using the Oskadon tuna fishing boat and at that time did not return, "explained prosecutor's indictment.

On June 23, 2020, the ship was towed into the waters of Lamcok, North Aceh by the local Muspida aid ship.

“That for this action, the defendant Abdul Aziz Bin M. Yusuf received operational money from Anwar (still being sought by the Aceh Police/DPO) worth Rp. 500,000,- (five hundred thousand) rupiahs given through witness Faisal Afrizal Bin M. Zaini Bakri (which was prosecuted separately) ----- Whereas in addition the defendant Abdul Aziz Bin M. Yusuf also received remittances of Rp. 1.000.000,- (one million) rupiah sent by Anwar (still being searched by the Aceh Police/DPO) to the account of the defendant Abdul Aziz Bin M. Yusuf;- That both the defendant Abdul Aziz Bin M. Yusuf, witness Faisal Afrizal Bin M Zaini Bakri, witness Afrizal alias Raja Bin M.Husen and witness Shahad Deen Bin Alm. Ashrof Miya (each of whom was prosecuted separately) does not have the right or legal immigration documents to admit the 99 (ninety-nine) ethnic Rohingya into Indonesian territory," said the prosecutor in the indictment.