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Police summon experts in Jokowi defamation case
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Musician Ahmad Dhani (fifth left) and his wife Mulan Jameela (sixth left) attend the rally on Nov. 4 in Jakarta. The police have begun to investigate the defamation case regarding a statement made by Dhani about President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. (Tempo.com/Indri Maulidar)
T
he Jakarta Police will summon several experts, including language and criminal law experts, to provide statements regarding musician Ahmad Dhani’s alleged defamation of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo during a massive rally on Nov. 4.
"We will summon language experts to see whether Dhani's speech had criminal intent," Jakarta Police Spokesman Sr. Comr. Awi Setiyono said on Thursday.
(Read also: Police begin investigation into defamation of Jokowi)
On Thursday, police also summoned eight witnesses including Dhani and his wife, singer Mulan Jameela, Islam Defenders Front (FPI) chairman Rizieq Shihab, FPI Secretary General Munarman, artist-cum-activist Ratna Sarumpaet, National Mandate Party supervisory board chairman Amien Rais, Muslim cleric Bachtiar Nasir and lawyer Eggi Sudjana. However, only Eggi attended the questioning on Thursday.
Awi said Dhani could be charged under Article 207 of the Criminal Code concerning defamation of the administration and institutions.
According to a video that is now available on Youtube, Dhani was heard saying: “I want to say 'dog', but [I am] not allowed. I want to say 'pig’, but [I am] not allowed. The ulemas are the successors of the Prophet Muhammad, [the ulemas are] sitting here but are not welcome by the President.”
The rally ended in violence with two police cars set on fire and several officers and protesters injured.
Jokowi has claimed that “political actors” were behind the violent rally. (jun)
