Bahar Smith Sentenced To 6 Months 15 Days In Prison, Lawyer Appreciates Bandung District Court Decision

JAKARTA - Lawyer Bahar Smith respects and appreciates the verdict given by the Bandung District Court (PN) regarding the sentence of six months and 15 days in prison for his client.

Lawyer Ichwan Tuankotta said that his party had previously believed that the judge would give his client a light sentence. He also confirmed that he accepted the punishment.

"So today we respect the decision of the panel of judges and appreciate it," said Ichwan at the Bandung District Court, Bandung City, West Java, quoted from Antara, Tuesday, August 16.

Based on his calculations, according to him, Bahar has now been detained for six months less than one day. So according to him, Bahar will be released from detention in the near future.

"But we are still trying to calculate the time for his release," he said, according to Antara.

Meanwhile, Bahar Smith said the sentence decided by the judge to him is proof that justice still exists in the country.

The sentence was lighter than prosecutors demanded that he be sentenced to five years in prison. The prosecutors have now expressed their thoughts on the verdict delivered by the judge.

Bahar was sentenced to six months and 15 days in prison because he was judged by the judge to have conveyed uncertain news that had the potential to cause trouble.

"Alhamdulillah, this will be the beginning for the people of Indonesia, revealing that it is the beginning of belief, that there is still justice in this republic," said Bahar after hearing the verdict.

The uncertain news is related to his speech during a lecture in Bandung Regency in December 2021 which was uploaded on YouTube. Bahar said at the time that Rizieq Shihab was imprisoned for holding the Maulid Nabi and six FPI soldiers were tortured to death.