Anti-Mask Activists Who Attacked Judges In Banyuwangi District Court File An Appeal For 3 Years In Prison

ILLUSTRATION/UNSPLASH

BANYUWANGI - M Yunus Wahyudi, the defendant in the case of fake news or hoaxes about COVID-19, filed an appeal against the 3-year prison sentence decided by the Banyuwangi District Court judge.

The man, known as an anti-mask activist, was found guilty of violating Article 14 Paragraph 1 of Law Number 1 of 1946 concerning the Criminal Law Regulations.

"I have registered the appeal letter with the Banyuwnagi District Court, and I'm just following the memorandum of an appeal", said M. Yunus Wahyudi's lawyer, Mohamad Sugiyono when contacted, Friday, August 20.

According to him, the verdict against his client is too heavy. In addition, it is not by the facts at trial.

"What is clear is that Article 1 is not by the facts of the trial. Of the 22 witnesses, he said, none of them knew who spread the video, who caused the trouble, and where the chaos was", he said.

According to him, what Yunus said and went viral on social media was to answer a question. At that time, Yunus was approached by someone and asked why he wasn't wearing a mask.

"Yunus replied, I am an anti-mask activist, Corona exists, but my belief in Banyuwnagi does not exist", he said, imitating Yunus' words in the video which later went viral.

Sugiyono questioned Yunus's sentence which was considered to be causing trouble.

Meanwhile, the Public Relations officer of the Banyuwangi District Court, I Komang Didiek Prayoga, said the judge's consideration was to sentence him to 3 years in prison because the defendant had been sentenced several times.

Then carry out an activity that makes it seem as if the people of Banyuwangi don't believe in COVID-19.

"By saying that COVID doesn't exist, it will affect the community and cause negligence in implementing of health protocol. If COVID-19 doesn't exist later, don't wear masks, don't wash your hands, keep your distance, this is the effect if there is a statement like that", he said.