TEMPO.CO, Bangkalan - National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian confirmed that his institution would continue to process a religious blasphemy case involving Islamic Defender Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab.
"We will process the case like other [cases]," Tito said in Bangkalan, East Java, on Thursday, December 29, 2016.
According to Tito, the case is currently at a stage of initial investigation. Tito explained that police is still reviewing reports filed by the Catholic Students Union (PMKRI). To this date, no suspects have been named in the case.
Earlier on Monday, December 26, 2016, PMKRI chairman Angelo Wake Kako filed a police report against Rizieq based on a video footage containing Rizieq's speech delivered at Pondok Kelapa, Jakarta, on Sunday, December 25, 2016.
In his speech, Rizieq said that "if God bears a child, then who's the midwife?" The PMKRI viewed that the statement was insulting for Catholics.
In addition to Rizieq, the PMKRI reported an Instagram account @fauzi_ahmad_fiiqolby and a Twitter account @SayaReya.
The FPI's Central Executive Board has planned to file a police report against the PMKRI, since they viewed that Rizieq's statement was not a blasphemy.
MUSTHOFA BISRI
