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Personally identified 'harassers' to countersue for defamation
In the latest development in a viral harassment and bullying case, two individuals who were personally identified by MS among five of his alleged harassers have decided to file a countersuit for defamation.
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Attorney Tegar Putuhena, who is representing two individuals named in MS' social media post as his alleged harassers, speaks to reporters at Jakarta Metropolitan Police headquarters on Sept. 6, 2021. Tegar said that the three other individuals who were personally identified were also considering legal action against MS. (Kompas TV/Courtesy of Kompas TV on YouTube)
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wo individuals named among five perpetrators in a sexual harassment and bullying case are planning to countersue their alleged victim MS for defamation.
RT and EO, employees and coworkers of MS at the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI), claimed they and their families had been cyberbullied since MS had revealed their identities in a social media post.
Attorney Tegar Putuhena, who is representing RT and EO, said that revealing others’ personal identities could be subject to legal action under articles in the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law. This was especially so during an ongoing legal process that had not established the guilt of any party.
"Because of that widely circulated story, our clients’ identities were also spread, and [led to] cyberbullying [against them and their families]," Tegar told reporters on Sept. 6 at Jakarta Metropolitan Police headquarters, referring to the allegations of the original victim, MS.
Tegar added that the three other individuals named by MS as his alleged perpetrators were considering pursuing the same legal action.
The incident unfolded when MS took to social media to share his experience of being bullied and sexually harassed in 2012-2015 by his coworkers at the KPI. In his account, he gave the full names of his alleged harassers bearing the initials RT, EO, RM, FP and CL.
After the story went viral, the KPI conducted an internal investigation and suspended eight employees. The Jakarta Police took up their own investigation after MS filed a report with them and questioned the alleged harassers on Monday.
MS posted another open letter on Sunday, thanking everyone who had supported him and asking his supporters not to attack the alleged perpetrators’ families.
“I am worried that the perpetrators’ family [members], like their wives, children and parents will have the same psychological impacts or prolonged trauma that I experienced, especially their children. Indonesia's future is in the hands of the next generation," MS said in the letter.
Attorney Rony E. Hutahaean, who is legally representing MS, said his client had been traumatized and developed mental disorders from years of being bullied and sexually harassed. He was referring to the results of a psychological evaluation at Kramat Jati Police Hospital in East Jakarta, which would be used in MS’ case as visum et repertum (VER), or forensic examination as evidence of a criminal act.
