More than 2,000 supporters of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) marched from Al-Azhar Mosque in Kebayoran Baru to Jakarta Police Headquarters on Monday morning. Unlike last weeks march, this mornings rally was a 'safeguard to accompany FPI Chief Rizieq Shihab to his questioning at Police HQ.
The crowd also demanded police stop investigating Rizieq and "criminalizing" clerics.
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Rizieq was scheduled for questioning as a witness with the Jakarta Polices Special Crime Directorate regarding a lawsuit accusing him of insulting Rupiah Indonesia's currency, specifically the logo of the central bank. He was recorded claiming the Bank Indonesia (BI) logo on the new Rupiah notesis actually a picture of a Communist hammer and sickle logo of the long-gone Indonesian Communist Party (PKI). Youth Network Against Slander (JIMAF) later reported Rizieq over this statement on Jan. 9.
Supporters gathered from early morning in Al-Azhar Mosque and left at around 9 a.m. though Rizieq only arrived at Jakarta Police Headquarters at around 10 a.m.
Before going in, he spoke to reporters and protestedhis innocence.
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I was just warning the Indonesian people of the signs of PKI's resurgence. I have also addressed this warning to the parliament and the general public. But because of this warning, I was summoned (by the police), he said.
I am confused. What is it theyre going to ask or accuse me of? Lets see what the questions will be.
Disorder between police and reporters broke out for a moment when Rizieq arrived as reporters pushedto get pictures of himand the police triedto push themback. No injuries werereported.
Rizieq was questioned for around 4 hours. Investigators askedhim 23 questions.
I told them that were asking the government to explain why, among millions of other alternative images, they chose this logo which can be seen as a hammer and sickle? Its dangerous, he toldreporters afterwards.
He claimed that the session was free of intimidation or pressure from the police.
But he had a message for the cops...
We ask the government, especially the police, not to call clerics too often. This can send out the wrong signal to the people.
Rizieq is scheduled for another questioning tomorrow onpotential treason charges.
There are also several more lawsuits pending against him that are still being processed by police, including defamation of the country's pluralisticethnic and multi-religious principle of Pancasila, as well as defamatory statements aboutChristianity.
Update: Jakarta Police announced that tomorrow's questioning will be postponed to give way for another investigation involving Rizieq conducted by West Java Police.