TEMPO.CO, Bandung - Kiagus Muhammad Choiri, head of legal aid division at the West Java branch of the Islamic Defender Front (FPI), clarified that FPI leader Rizieq Syihab missed a summons sent by the West Java Police due to fatigue.
Rizieq was earlier summoned to attend a questioning in relation to an alleged defamation of state symbol Pancasila and former President Soekarno.
"[Rizieq] was exhausted since he has a lot on his plate, such as police questionings and delivering sermons," Choiri told Tempo on Tuesday, February 7, 2017.
Rizieq was scheduled to attend the first probe as a suspect on Tuesday, February 7, 2017. The West Java Police will send another summons if Rizieq fails to comply.
West Java Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Yusri Yunus said that the West Java Police would have to pick up Rizieq by force if he failed to answer the second summons.
The West Java Police Criminal Investigation Corps named Rizieq as a suspect for allegedly defaming Pancasila and former President Soekarno. Rizieq was charged with Criminal Code’s Article 154 (a) on defamation of state symbols and Article 320 that covers defaming a deceased person.
Rizieq later planned to file a pretrial lawsuit, but it has not been realized to this date, as the suspect naming letter has not been issued by the West Java Police.
IQBAL T. LAZUARDI S
