Cassation Denied By Supreme Court, Saiful Mahdi Lecturer At USK Aceh Detained

Academics Syiah Kuala University (USK) Aceh Dr Saiful Mahdi / Manager

BANDA ACEH - Syiah Kuala University (USK) Aceh academic Dr Saiful Mahdi immediately served a prison term after the appeal was rejected by the Supreme Court (MA) or upheld the decision of the Banda Aceh District Court (PN), which was three months in prison.

"The Supreme Court's decision confirms the decision of the Banda Aceh District Court, and nothing has changed. The verdict is three months in prison plus Rp. 10 million, a subsidiary of 1 month in prison," said Attorney Dr Saiful Mahdi from LBH Banda Aceh Syahrul, in Banda Aceh, as reported by Antara, Thursday, September 2nd.

Previously, the Banda Aceh District Court sentenced academician USK Saiful Mahdi to three months in prison, who was charged with violating the Electronic Information and Transactions Law (UU ITE).

The USK MIPA Faculty lecturer was found guilty of committing a criminal act intentionally and without the right to transfer defamation charges regarding the results of the CPNS test for the campus Faculty of Engineering lecturer.

After the decision of the Banda Aceh District Court, Saiful Mahdi has also submitted an appeal to the Banda Aceh High Court to Cassation to the Supreme Court, but all decisions confirm the results of the Banda Aceh District Court decision.

Syahrul said that last week his office was contacted by the public prosecutor to deliver Saiful Mahdi to the prosecutor for today's execution.

"We will not deny it, me and him (Saiful Mahdi) are aware that this is a state of law, we have decided to take him today at 14.00 WIB to the Banda Aceh Kejari," he said.

On this occasion, Syahrul said, Saiful Mahdi actually still wants to fight with the Judicial Review (PK) of the decision. However, PK cannot delay execution. Syahrul said that currently Indonesian academics who are members of the Indonesian Caucus for Academic Freedom (KIKA) held an examination of Saiful Mahdi's decision.

"In principle, the academics assessed that there was no element of justice from the judges, did not consider the competence to do that, meaning what Saiful did was scientific faucets in an academic scope," said the Director of LBH Banda Aceh.

Not only that, continued Syahrul, fellow academics of Saiful Mahdi throughout Indonesia who are involved in the advocacy will also apply for amnesty to the President.

"This means that we will continue to fight, continue to fight for justice, because actually what he said was not a crime. His family is ready for him to be executed," said Syahrul.