"I notify that from May 21 to May 28, a total of 10 cases of hoaxes were investigated by the Cyber Directorate of Bareskrim and Jakarta Police," Brigadier General Dedi Prasetyo, spokesman of the Indonesian Police, remarked here on Tuesday.
On May 23, a man, identified by his initials as SDA, was arrested by the police for disseminating fake news that foreign police officers had joined hands with the Indonesian police to handle the May 21-22 rally.
On May 26, another man, identified by his initials as ASR, was arrested for the spread of fake information that the police had roughly handled a habaib, or a descendent of the Prophet.
Moreover, on the same day, the police took HU into custody for spreading provocative information that had the potential to fuel hostility based on race, religion, tribe and group (SARA) sentiments.
On May 27, the police had arrested RR over his threat posted on Facebook to kill a prominent national figure.
Moreover, the Central Java Police took M into detention for spreading information to incite hatred based on SARA sentiments.
On the same day, the South Sulawesi Police also detained MS for his post on social media of an image of a national prominent figure being hung with a text that read: "Hopefully, this barbaric man dies."
On May 27, the police arrested DS in West Java for disseminating a hoax regarding a 14-year-old teen, who died after undergoing torture.
Furthermore, MA was taken into police custody in Sorong, West Papua, on May 27, for circulating a negative video photo captioned "Assassination targeting one of the national prominent figures."
On May 28, the police arrested MNA for spreading negative information on electoral frauds, a persecution, and police torturing a teen near Al Huda Mosque at the Tanah Abang area, Jakarta.
The Bareskrim also took into custody H on May 28 at dawn for spreading information on a threat targeting a national prominent figure and hate speech.
The police reported that the arrests were made as a final resort while concurrently adopting persuasive approaches and reminding the public to be wise while using social media.
EDITED BY INE
Translator: Syaiful Hakim, Fardah
Editor: Eliswan Azly
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
