Jakarta (ANTARA) - National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) was reluctant to respond to the government's decision to ban the Islam Defenders Front's (FPI's) activities, as the commission's investigators probe the organization's six members being fatally shot.

"At first, Komnas HAM should read and thoroughly study the joint decision taken by six related ministries and state agencies. Moreover, we are still investigating an FPI-related case," Komnas HAM Chairman Ahmad Taufan Damanik stated.

The commission should demonstrate its careful response since its team of investigators are still working on the fatal shooting case, he stated during a virtual press conference that ANTARA was part of from Jakarta on Wednesday (Dec 30, 2020).

However, Damanik vowed to unveil the commission's official response after thoroughly studying the government's ban on the organization that Habib Rizieq Shihab had established along with several other ulemas and Muslim activists in 1998.

On Wednesday, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD stated that the government had imposed a ban on activities of the FPI in any form.

Mahfud remarked that the FPI had been de jure dissolved as a mass organization since June 20, 2019. However, as an organization, the FPI has continued to conduct its activities by violating public law and order, including by committing violent acts, conducting unilateral sweeping raids, and being instrumental in provocation.

Based on the legislation and decision of the Constitutional Court, dated December 23, 2014, the government has banned FPI's activities and will stop all its activities, he stated.

"If there is an organization claiming to be FPI, it will be considered as being non-existent and must be rejected as of today," Mahfud MD affirmed.

Six FPI members who were in charge of securing a motorcade of FPI leader Habib Rizieq Shihab were shot dead in the early morning of December 7, 2020.

Jakarta Metropolitan Police Chief, Inspector General Fadil Imran, declared that on-duty police investigation officers had shot dead the six guards of Shihab for attacking them.

The incident took place at 00:30 a.m. local time on Monday, December 7, 2020, on KM 50 of the Jakarta-Cikampek Toll Road, Imran informed.

At the time, the officers were probing information on a likely mobilization of masses for which Shihab was to be grilled by the Jakarta Police, he remarked.

The Jakarta Police had summoned Shihab for allegedly violating COVID-19 health protocols during his daughter's wedding that coincided with the maulid, which marks the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, thereby leading to crowding.

"When officers of the Jakarta Metro Jaya Police followed vehicles suspected of carrying MRS (Muhammad Rizieq Shihab) followers, the officers' vehicle was intercepted and then attacked with firearms and sharp weapons," Imran informed.

However, the FPI denied claims that its members had attacked police officers on grounds that they were unarmed.

"FPI members do not have firearms. A shootout is impossible," Munarman, the general secretary of FPI, stated at a press conference.

Asserting that the fatal shooting was an extrajudicial killing, Munarman urged that an independent fact-finding team involving Komnas HAM be formed to uncover the truth behind the incident.

On the day Inspector General Fadil Imran announced the deaths of Shihab's six slain guards, the Komnas HAM formed its team of investigators to probe the fatal shooting case. Related news: Police committed to furnishing necessary information to Komnas HAM
Related news: Komnas HAM seeks six slain FPI members' further autopsy details


EDITED BY INE

Translator: Dyah DA, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Suharto
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