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Convicted siblings do not regret uttering hate speech against Ahok, Jokowi
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Brothers Rizal (left) and Jamran (right) pose for a photograph after a hearing of their trial on hate speech charges at the South Jakarta District Court on Monday. The court found them guilty of spreading hate speech against non-active Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama and President Joko Widodo in separate hearings on Monday. (kompas.com/Nibras Nada Nailufar)
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ail terms and monetary fines have not made brothers Rizal and Jamran, who were found guilty of spreading hate speech against the country's president and Jakarta's governor on social media, regret their actions.
The brothers said the sentences the South Jakarta District Court gave them for uttering hate speech involving religion and ethnicity against now non-active Jakarta governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama and for accusing President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo of belonging to the defunct Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), were acceptable consequences of their struggle.
“What we do is right. It is about freedom of speech [that is guaranteed by] the Constitution,” Jamran said after the reading of the verdicts on Monday as quoted by kompas.com.
Separate court hearings on Monday found them guilty of violating the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law and sentenced them each to six months and fifteen days. The panel of judges also ordered them to pay Rp 10 million (US$753) in fines.
The sentences and fines against the siblings were lower than what was demanded by prosecutors.
Prosecutors demanded a one-year prison term and a Rp 75 million fine for Jamran and a 10-month jail term and a Rp 50 million fine for Rizal.
The brothers had yet to decide whether to file an appeal against the judges’ decision. Both will be released on June 18 because they have been detained since Dec. 3. They were arrested along with treason suspects on Dec. 2 last year, hours before a mass rally against Ahok. (hol)
