TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The South Jakarta District Court Judge sentenced two suspects responsible for spreading hate speech, Rizal and Jamran, to six months and fifteen days confinement and a fine of Rp10 million. Both of them are also suspected of committing treason.

Rizal and Jamran spread hate-filled messages against former Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, better known as Ahok, through a Twitter account under the name @BacotIwan.

“An extra one-month prison sentence will be added if they fail to pay the fine,” Ratmoho, chief of the panel of judges, said on Monday, June 5, 2017.

Both defendants were charged with Article 28 (2) 2016 on Information and Electronic Transactions (ITE). Ratmoho reminded the public that citizen’s freedom of expression is protected by the constitution, provided that it is supported by facts and accurate data.

“The defendants spread contents through their Facebook and Twitter accounts in order to discredit certain groups of people. In this case, it was Ahok,” Ratmoho explained.

According to Ratmoho, the contents disseminated by the defendants were provocative, that they could potentially be dangerous if they were consumed by people who are not critical about the matter.

Rizal and Jamran are two out of ten activists allegedly infiltrating the 212 Defend Islam Rally to conduct treason. Both had been in police custody since December 2016.

Andris Basril, attorney for the defendants felt apprehensive about the sentencing.

“Both of my clients only reposted contents produced by someone else. Why are they being punished for that? This ruling is dangerous. I personally can’t accept it,” he said.

BAYU PUTRA | EA