Police Talk on Rizieq Blocked by Saudi Arabia Immigration

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Police have no authority to intervene in the blocking of Islamic Defender Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab by the immigration office of Saudi Arabia, said the national police spokesman Insp. Gen. Setyo Wasisto.

“We cannot intervene [in the case], that is the authority of Saudi Arabia which is beyond our power,” Setyo said via a short message today, September 27.

The police of Saudi Arabia, Setyo added, could not also step in the case handled by Indonesian law enforcer. He was also reluctant to provide comments on the issue of Rizieq Shihab that was banned to travel by Saudi Arabia immigration.

Read: FPI`s Rizieq Shihab Allegedly Barred from Leaving Saudi Arabia

On September 25, Nasrullah Nasution, member of the advocacy team at the National Movement to Safeguard the Indonesian Ulema Council's Edict (GNPF), said his leader could not return to Indonesia as he was banned to leave Saudi Arabia. Thus, they seek help from the House of Representative (DPR) deputy speaker Fadli Zon.

Fadli Zon then planned to send a letter to President Joko Widodo, National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian, and the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Gen. Budi Gunawan to forward the message from FPI and GNPF.

According to Nasrullah, Rizieq felt that he was being supervised long before the issuance of investigation termination letter (SP3) on the alleged defamation of Indonesian ideology Pancasila and pornography case he was accused of.

Nasrullah said that Rizieq Shihab’s suspicion of being spied increased since the latter met Gerindra party patron chief Prabowo Subianto and PAN chairman of the board of trustees Amien Rais.

ANDITA RAHMA