TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Muhamad Insur, the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Jakarta)’s chief of case department, said the Wednesday’s rally by hard-line Islamic group the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) in front of the Jakarta Legislative Council (DPRD Jakarta) building had violated the law.

The FPI, he added, was rejecting the inauguration of Deputy Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama on racial and religious sentiments.

“The FPI has exceeded the legal limits as they mentioned that a person could not become a leader because of his or her race and religion,” he said on Thursday.

Insur said during the rally FPI members also said Ahok was a Chinese-descent and thus unsuitable to lead Jakartans, who are mostly Muslims and natives. “This is bad political education for the people,” he said.

According to Insur, despite the state’s obligation to safeguard freedom of speech, opinions should not consist of hatred and discrimination. “This is certainly threatening the nation’s motto of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (unity in diversity),” he said.

Thus, he added, the FPI had violated Article 28d paragraph 3 and Article 28i paragraph 2 of the 1945 Constitution on citizens’ equality in government in spite of their race and religion.

Insur said Article 20 paragraph 2 of the United Nations’ International Treaty on Civil and Political Rights also barred any actions teaching hatred on the grounds of nationality, race or religion that incited discrimination, hostility and violence.

INDRI MAULIDAR