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Buni Yani trial to continue as objection rejected
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Staying defiant: Buni Yani (right), speaks after his hate speech hearing at the Bandung District Court in West Java on July 11. (JP/Arya Dipa)
A
panel of judges at the Bandung District Court has decided to continue the trial of Buni Yani, the uploader of a controversial video showing former Jakarta governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama making supposedly blasphemous comments about Islam, despite objections from the defendant against his indictment.
“The trial will be continued with the examination and adjudication of the defendant,” presiding judge M. Sapto said as he read out the panel’s decision at a hearing in Bandung, West Java, on Tuesday.
Buni read out his objections during a hearing last month. He rejected prosecutors’ indictment, which stated he had violated Article 32 (1) of the 2016 Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law, though he was never investigated.
The law carries sanctions for anyone found guilty of intentionally making changes, hiding or transmitting electronic information or documents belonging to other people or the public.
Prosecutors indicted Buni for allegedly spreading an edited video of Ahok making a speech in Thousand Islands regency, during which the latter mentioned a Quranic verse. The video triggered uproar, with many suggesting that the former governor had blasphemed against Islam.
“The indictment will be proven in the trial,” Sapto said during the hearing.
Prosecutors have also accused Buni, who works as a lecturer, of violating Article 28 (2) of the 2016 ITE Law, which prohibits the spread of hate speech based on SARA (matters pertaining to tribal affiliations, religion, race and societal groups). (kuk/ebf)
