Jumhur Hidayat Is Sentenced 3 Years In Prison For Fake News Case

Labor activist Jumhur Hidayat hears the demands read out by the prosecutor during the trial for spreading false news at the South Jakarta District Court, Thursday, September 23 (Photo: Genta Tenri Mawangi/Antara)

JAKARTA - The prosecutors demanded that the South Jakarta District Court (PN) punish labor activist Jumhur Hidayat for 3 years in prison because his party believed he was guilty of spreading false news and publishing trouble.

In his lawsuit, prosecutor Puji Triasmoro from the Indonesian Attorney General's Office stated that Jumhur violated Article 14 Paragraph (1) of Law Number 1 of 1946 concerning the Criminal Law Regulations.

"We conclude that the defendant's actions are legally and convincingly proven to have committed a criminal act of deliberately broadcasting false news and publishing trouble as has been charged," said Puji Triasmoro before reading out he demanded during the trial in Jakarta, Thursday.

The sentence, he said, would be reduced to Jumhur's arrest and detention period while he was in the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Police, Jakarta.

The prosecutor also asked the panel of judges to charge Jumhur IDR 5.000 in court fees.

Praise Triasmoro as the public prosecutor said that his party will return a number of devices belonging to Jumhur, namely one mobile phone, one tablet, and other items, such as banners, shirts, and hats.

The prosecution, said the prosecutor, was based on aggravating and mitigating considerations.

Aggravating considerations, among others, Jumhur's actions disturbed the public and caused riots.

"The defendant has never regretted his actions," said Puji Triasmoro.

Not only that, the prosecutor continued, Jumhur's track record was that he had been sentenced to prison when he demonstrated during the New Order era. This is under serious consideration.

Jumhur's mitigating actions, the public prosecutor said the person concerned was polite during the trial.

After reading the demands, the panel of judges of the South Jakarta District Court led by Hapsoro Widodo announced that the trial would resume on Thursday (30/9) with the agenda for reading the memorandum of defense (pledoi).

Hapsoro was assisted by two-member judges: Nazar Effriadi and I Dewa Made Budi.

Jumhur was entangled in a criminal case after he uploaded a tweet criticizing the ratification of the Job Creation Bill into law on Twitter on October 7, 2020.

Jumhur's tweet reads: "This law is for PRIMITIVE INVESTORS from the PRC and GRATEFUL ENTREPRENEURS. For CIVILIZED INVESTORS, it is as follows: 35 Foreign Investors Express Their Distress against the Ratification of the Job Creation Act. Click to read: kmp.im/AGA6m2." This tweet was judged by the prosecutor as fake news that could cause trouble.