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Police will process FPI leader’s blasphemy case
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Islam Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab speaks to journalists when he was summoned as a witness by police investigators on Nov. 3 in relation to a defamation case involving Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama. (Antara Foto/Puspa Perwitasari)
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akarta Police chief Insp. Gen Mochamad Iriawan has given his assurances that the police will process the lawsuit filed by a group of university students against Islam Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab for allegedly defaming Christianity in one of his speeches.
Iriawan said the police would treat the case just like any other case.
“Why wouldn’t we have the guts [to investigate Rizieq]?” Iriawan asked when a journalist questioned whether the police would dare to process the case against the leader of the mass organization whose members had been involved in many raids against places they considered “un-Islamic”.
(Read also: Police start investigating FPI leader blasphemy case)
“We are still investigating the case. If we feel it is necessary to carry out a case reconstruction, we will do so,” Iriawan said.
Rizieq has been reported by the Indonesian Catholic Students Association (PMKRI) for allegedly committing blasphemy in a speech circulated on the Internet. Rizieq was reported along with two other people who allegedly uploaded Rizieq’s video on Instagram and Twitter.
In the 22-second long video, Rizieq is recorded as saying: “If God gave birth, then who would be the midwife?”
Rizieq is accused of violating Article 156 section (a) of the Criminal Code on blasphemy. The charge carries a maximum punishment of five years in prison.
The FPI has said it will report the people who filed the lawsuit against Rizieq for defamation or slander. (bbn)
