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Police warns against online witch hunts
The National Police has condemned parties who hunt down social media users accused of insulting Islam Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab.
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Rizieq Shihab (in white robe) leads a rally in Jakarta on Feb. 21. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
T
he National Police has condemned parties who hunt down social media users accused of insulting Islam Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab
In a media brief on Monday, Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Setyo Wasisto said, “We have constitutions, [FPI supporters] cannot act like vigilantes, and they cannot act as judges on the field.”
His statement was related to the most recent online prosecution of a female physician, Fiera Lovita, 40, from Solok Regional Hospital in Padang, West Sumatra. The FPI accused her of insulting Rizieq by posting comments on her Facebook account about the firebrand cleric, who is now a suspect in a pornography case and has failed to appear for police questioning on several occasions.
The FPI members confronted Fiera at her workplace on May 23, pressuring her to delete her comments and write an official letter saying she regretted her actions.
“They do not have the authority to force anyone,” Setyo said, “If they felt offended [by comments], they could report the person to the police.”
“Vigilantism can turn people into suspects,” Setyo added. (hol)
