"As of Thursday, 103 cases of coronavirus-related hoaxes have been handled by the Indonesian police," a police spokesperson, Senior Commissioner Ahmad Ramadhan, said here on Thursday.
According to Ramadhan, coronavirus-related fake news has continued to increase. Police handled 99 cases in the month of March this year, he noted.
Of the total cases, the Jakarta Metro Police have handled 14 cases, East Java Police 12 cases, Riau Police 9 cases, West Java Police 7 cases, and Bareskrim has handled 6 cases.
"The remaining 55 hoax cases have been handled by other provincial police," Ramadhan added.
Based on preliminary investigation, some perpetrators spread false news for fun, while some others were driven by their dissatisfaction with the government's works.
The perpetrators will be charged under Article 45 and 45A of the Information and Electronic Transaction Law and face a six-year jail term and Rp1 billion fine.
Ramadhan reiterated that the Indonesian police have continued to conduct cyber patrols and take legal measures against those spreading hoaxes related to COVID-19 that could spark public anxiety.
The police have shared counter narratives through their official social media account to educate the public and fight against fake news. (INE)
Related news: Government detects 1,125 corona hoaxes, urges citizens to remain wary
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Translator: Anita Permata Dewi, Sri Haryat
Editor: Suharto
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