ational Police spokesperson Insp. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said Thursday that the police would question the leader of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), Rizieq Shihab, for the second time next week in Bandung, West Java.
The police have named Rizieq a suspect of defamation involving the state ideology of Pancasila and founding president Sukarno last Monday in relation to a sermon in which he spoke unfavorably about the two that went viral.
Boy has yet to reveal the exact day of the questioning session. However, he reminded Rizieq not to mobilize supporters to protest during the interrogation, like he did on previous occasions.
“It will be safer if those we are questioning do not bring along supporters,” Boy told a press briefing at the National Police headquarters, extending his call to all public figures who are currently facing legal processes with the police.
Boy cited a traffic jam that happened in Bandung because of a large number of FPI members who flocked to the Central Java police station during a previous questioning of Rizieq. “Bringing supporters may disturb public order.”
In addition to the alleged defamation of Pancasila and Sukarno, Rizieq is also facing investigations by the Jakarta Police for allegedly defaming the national currency in his remarks that the new rupiah bills displayed the communist symbol of a hammer and sickle. He has also been accused of blasphemy for denigrating the Christian concept of the Holy Trinity. (wit)
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