The North Sumatra Police have named two activists affiliated with the People’s Sovereignty National Movement (GNKR) suspects of treason in Medan. 

The two suspects, Rafdinal and Zulkarnaen, were also active members of the local chapter of the National Movement to Safeguard Fatwas (GNPF).

North Police chief Insp. Gen. Agus Andrianto said the suspects were arrested following a thorough investigation and a series of complaints from locals. 

He said the two suspects were arrested for violating Article 107 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) on treason. 

“[The arrests] are not a form of criminalization. Several parties reported that the suspects had violated the law,” Agus told the press on Tuesday, adding that the police were simply doing their job to uphold the law. 

He went on to say that suspected traitors of the state could be immediately named suspects without having to wait for an act of treason to be committed. 

“We can make the arrests based on verbal statements and activities [advocating treason]. They were hoping to incite a similar series of disruptions that occurred in Jakarta,” Agus said.

The arrests were made one week after postelection protests in the capital city escalated into full-blown riots, claiming eight lives. 

North Sumatra Police spokesman Sr. Adj. Comr. MP Nainggolan said the two suspects were arrested for having allegedly made verbal antigovernment statements during a parade in Medan earlier this month. 

Separately, the North Sumatra Police also summoned Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, a spokesperson of the Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Uno presidential campaign, for questioning regarding alleged treason on Tuesday. 

However, Dahnil failed to attend the questioning session as he claimed to have only learned of the call when the news went viral on social media. 

“I haven’t received a physical copy of the [North Sumatra Police] summons. I only saw the news about the summons on social media,” Dahnil said. (rfa)