TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Brig. Gen. Fadil Imran, director of cybercrime unit at the National Police`s Criminal Investigation Corps (Bareskrim), said that as many as 47 persecution cases occurred throughout this year. He revealed the persecutions were conducted against media social account owners allegedly defaming a religion or ulema on social media.
“There were 47 persecution cases [occurred in 2017], and the cases developed into an allegation that Police are taking a side,” Fadil said during a seminar held in Jakarta on Tuesday, October 17.
Read: Jokowi Orders Police to Impose Strict Measure against Persecution
He added the persecution cases developed into an allegation that the state favored certain groups. Fadil said that the crime was a part of a political agenda. “Today, hate speech is not aimed at stating an ideology, but it could be used for other agendas,” he said.
Fadil added that persecutions often occur with hate speech practiced during regional elections back in 2015. He said the police were faced with challenges in foiling the cases.
Fadil views that the upcoming 2018 Regional Head Elections will be vulnerable to persecution, hate speech, and hoax news. The opinion was based on a fact that the occurrence of hate speech during the second round of the 2017 Jakarta Gubernatorial Election increased to 117 cases. The figure later declined after police arrested online syndicate group Saracen.
Fadil called on relevant institutions, such as the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) to anticipate hate speech practices ahead of the Regional Head Elections.
ARKHELAUS
