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Activist Sri Bintang Pamungkas detained over alleged treason
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Political activist Sri Bintang Pamungkas testifies at the Supreme Court in Jakarta in July 2001. The police on Saturday detained Sri Bintang for alleged treason. (Kompas/Agus Susanto)
T
he police have detained senior political activist Sri Bintang Pamungkas for further questioning at the Jakarta Police headquarters over an alleged attempt to provoke people to commit treason.
"He cannot be released yet, as he is still undergoing questioning with National Police investigators," National Police spokesperson Insp. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said at the police headquarters on Saturday.
(Read also: Anti-Jokowi figures charged with treason)
The police have secured a video uploaded to YouTube indicating that Sri Bintang, who was once jailed during the authoritarian regime of Soeharto, had attempted to encourage the public to overthrow the government.
"The police have invited IT and law experts as well as linguists during the preliminary investigation," Boy added.
Sri Bintang, 71, has been charged under Article 28, point 2 of the 2008 Electronic Information and Transactions Law on hate speech in conjunction with articles 107 and 108 of the Criminal Code on treason and conspiracy to commit treason.
He was arrested on Friday at his house, hours before a large-scale rally took place at the National Monument (Monas), where protestors demanded the immediate arrest of Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama. (fac/jun)
