Police Seek More Evidence to Charge FPI's Rizieq in Porn Case  

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Raden Prabowo Argo Yuwono said that said that police need to find more evidence to charge the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Syihab in a porn case.

“We’ll see. Investigators still need to find some witnesses for further investigation,” Argo said in his office yesterday.

Argo said that the police have not secured enough evidence to charge Rizieq. The police have already collected evidence in the form of cell phones belonging to Rizieq and Firza Husein.

The spokesman said that the police are investigating Rizieq’s role as the person who told Firza Husein to send explicit images. Criminal law expert at the Trisakti University, Effendy Saragih, yesterday was questioned by the police. He said that Rizieq may be charged under Law No. 44/2008 on Pornography.

The porn case implicating Firza and Rizieq started when steamy chats circulated on social media. The chats contain images of a naked woman believed to be Firza Husein. Police have named her a suspect in this case.

Police are still awaiting Rizieq’s willingness to comply with police questioning after he failed to do so on two occasions. Argo said that the police are seeking Interpol’s help to find Rizieq. He said that the latter is currently in Saudi Arabia having visited Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. “We expect the person in question to come back [to Indonesia],” he said.

Rizieq’s lawyer Kapitra Ampera suspects political motives behind the case. He said that Rizieq is part of politicization in relation to the case implicating inactive Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama alias Ahok. Rizieq played a central role in the rallies that contributed to Ahok’s defeat in the Jakarta election. “It’s very political,” he said.

FPI Legal Aid chairman Sugito Atmo Pawirodi agrees. “The case is not a judicial matter, it’s political,” he said. He said that Rizieq has not returned to Indonesia for fear of being named a suspect. “When the law is not applied objectively, he could be arrested immediately.”

Sugito said that Rizieq may return to the country before or after Eid al-Fitr holiday and comply with police summons.

Argo has denied political motives behind the investigation into the case. “It’s based on a report filed by community members,” he said.

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