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Uploader of edited Ahok video arrested
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Under investigation -- Buni Yani (center), the uploader of video footage edited to make Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama appear as if he had committed blasphemy, speaks in a press conference after being questioned at the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) in Jakarta on Nov. 10. Police decided on Wednesday to name him a suspect of spreading hatred and arrest him. (Antara/Reno Esnir)
P
olice have detained Buni Yani after naming him a suspect in a case involving the uploading to the internet of a video that had been edited to make Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama appear as if he had committed blasphemy.
Buni's lawyer Aldwin said he deplored the police's decision to arrest his client on Wednesday evening after Buni underwent an interrogation at the Jakarta Police headquarters.
Aldwin said that after the police issued a letter to arrest Buni at 8 p.m on Wednesday his client refused to sign it.
"We believe that the police's action was irregular. We were just waiting to summon witnesses for Buni when the police named him a suspect and decided to arrest him," Aldwin said on Thursday, adding Buni's interrogation report was not yet finished when police named him a suspect.
Police will announce whether they are going to prolong Buni's detention to further investigate him at 8 p.m on Thursday.
(Read also: Ahok remains frontrunner despite suspect status: Campaign team)
The lawyer said he would consider filing a motion for a pretrial hearing if police decided to continue detaining Buni, who is a lecturer at a school of public relations in Jakarta.
On Wednesday, Jakarta Police Spokesman Sr. Comr. Awi Setiyono said that the caption attached to Buni's video post had ignited public hatred and animosity.
Awi said Buni was charged with violating Article 28 of the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law that carried a maximum sentence of six years in prison upon conviction. (jun)
