“Sudah Krisis, Saatnya Membakar”
A Chronicle of the Anarchist Prisoners in Tangerang

Calling for anarchists global solidarity action!

“STOP THE ISOLATION OF OUR COMRADES IN TANGERANG, RELEASED OUR COMRADES IN MALANG, FREE ALL THE ANARCHISTS!”

Introduction

While we know that the state will act in a totalitarian manner in this times pandemic and economic crisis and as being anarchists we dont value their laws, but in our constant struggle against the prevailing capitalist ideology that continues to colonialised our daily lives, the purpose of ABC are to help the political defendants in legal matters in which to ensure they get the “rights” for them and to communicate with them, to make them not isolated and feeling alone. Every decision are theirs and we value that, but when the state are trying to orchestrate a bullshit narrative into scapegoating the anarchists or the anarchist movement in general in Indonesia in order to veil their own incompetency in dealing with the crisis and pandemic, we asked you, not for money or anything involving that, but to show your solidarity in whatever means. It can be graffiti, banner dropping, or most importantly to acknowledge every Indonesian consulate about the isolation and the arbitrary action that the police are doing to them. Please read the following articles (two of the were written by the Individualist Sect) and some of them are from mainstream media.

Mainstream media:

(on these reports or in any other reports Indonesian police only knew one tendency, that is anarcho syndicalism, which are false and poor research because the anarchist movement in Indonesia are very diverse and there’s only one small group inactive anarcho-syndicalist and not a union)

The Jakarta Post — “Books seized, five arrested as police claim anarcho-syndicalists plan mass looting in Java” (on page ??)

Straits Times — “Coronavirus: Police arrest five Indonesians attempting to instigate looting” (on page ??)

(These are the earlieast reports from the Individualist Sect concerning the arrests and media sensationalisation)

Anarchists Worldwide — “About the Indonesian Anarchist Witch Hunt and the “Normal Activist Mentality”” (on page ??)

Anarchists Worldwide — “Indonesia: The Continual Anarchist Witch Hunt & the Scenario of State Incompetence” (on page ??)

Chronology of Tangerang Anarchists Isolation

On April 9, 2020, R, Af, and Ri were arrested in a tavern in Tangerang on vandalism charges. Apart from the minor crimes they committed, the police showed an arrest warrant that did not have their names listed. The family was also notified of this arrest on April 11, 2020, 2 days after the arrest. In fact, Af is a minor. The legal process is not in accordance with procedures and until now all three are still blocked by the police to get legal assistance.

The right to receive legal representation is stipulated in articles 69, 70, 72, Law no. 8 of 1981 concerning Criminal Procedure Law. • “The tendency to obstruct access to legal representation is a violation of the right to a fair trial as contained in Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Ratified in Law No. 12 of 2005)”

Immediately Fulfill Their Rights To Get A Legal Assistant!

Ps: Three more arrested and are still behind bars in East Java, Malang. They are prosecuted with the same charges “public provocation” under 160 Law such those comrades in Tangerang.

Ps: Theres already small gestures of solidarity from Netherland and Australia. Links below:

Palang Hitam Indonesia — “Solidaritas internasional untuk tahanan anarkis Tangerang + Malang, dan tahanan politik Papua Barat” (on page ??)

Palang Hitam Indonesia — “Solidaritas internasional untuk tahanan anarkis Tangerang + Malang, dan tahanan politik Papua Barat” (on page ??)

Books seized, five arrested as police claim anarcho-syndicalists plan mass looting in Java

The Jakarta Police have launched an investigation into a so-called anarcho-syndicalist group, which they claim has committed acts of vandalism and provocation in order to trigger social unrest across the island of Java amid public anxiety over the COVID-19 pandemic.

Authorities arrested last week five people suspected of being involved in the group after they had allegedly painted graffiti inciting people to riot with messages such as “it’s a crisis now; it’s time to burn”, “kill the rich” as well as “die ridiculously or fight”, on the walls of a shopping complex in Tangerang, Banten.

They had been charged under articles 14 and 15 of the 1946 Misinformation Law and Article 160 of the Criminal Code on public provocation, which carry sentences of up to 10 years’ imprisonment.

Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Yusri Yunus said that the police were currently investigating the group’s plan to carry out mass looting in some areas across Java on April 18.

“The plan for [mass looting] on Apr. 18 was announced through social media. [...] We are still investigating the possibility of the presence of a mastermind who might also be funding the plan,” Yusri said on Monday as quoted by tempo.co.

During the arrest of the five people, authorities also seized several books as evidence, including Aksi Massa (Mass Action) by Tan Malaka, Corat-coret di Toilet (Toilet Doodles) by Eka Kurniawan and Indonesia Dalam Krisis 1997–2002 (Indonesia in Crisis 1997–2002) by Kompas Research and Development Center, which the police believe to have influenced the suspects’ thoughts.

The arrests came as authorities prepared for possible social unrest in response to the government’s policy over the coronavirus pandemic, including social restrictions that aim to slow down the disease transmission, but which have also dealt a devastating blow to the earnings of millions of workers.

Manpower Ministry data show that over 1.5 million workers in both the formal and informal sectors have either been furloughed or laid off as companies temporarily halt operations, raising concerns that social unrest may erupt, especially if the government’s social assistance for the affected, as well as poor and vulnerable households, is not distributed equitably.

Despite such concerns, human rights activists have warned the police not to act arbitrarily and make arrests simply based on the ideology of certain people without sufficient evidence to prove their crimes.

National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) commissioner Beka Ulung Hapsara demanded the police substantiate their claims and allegations against the anarcho-syndicalist activists.

“I think the police have overreacted about the books, which [they] consider to be influencing vandalism,” Beka told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

For instance, Tan Malaka’s Aksi Massa includes the narrative of a movement against colonizers and injustice, which Beka said was opposite to the ideology of anarcho-syndicalism.

“Don’t let the abrogation of the right to gain knowledge in the name of social order happen again like what had happened during the New Order era,” he added.

Rights group Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) coordinator Yati Andriyani also criticized the arrests made by the police, asking them not to arrest anyone on baseless charges.

“The arrests should not be based on suspicion or certain analyses targeting a certain group with a certain ideology or the expression of certain political beliefs,” Yati told the Post, “Without a proven base, it can lead to stigma and persecution.”

She went on to question the validity of the police’s claim about the group’s plan to conduct mass looting across Java Island next Saturday, saying that the police should not make public their premature conclusions as this would “only create unrest among society.”

“Several acts of vandalism allegedly committed by people linked to an anarcho-syndicalist [group] does not justify the persecution of any group,” Yati said, “We are worried that the arrests might contravene human rights.”

Coronavirus: Police arrest five Indonesians attempting to instigate looting

JAKARTA — Indonesian police have arrested five people who allegedly instigated others to commit arson and looting as the poor grapple with declining income due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Police said over the weekend that the five arrested on Friday (April 10) are part of a group of people orchestrating planned chaos on April 18 in several cities across Java.

As of Saturday, 81 per cent of the confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country were from Java, the country’s most populous island.

The group calls itself Anarko Sindikalis, or anarchic unionists. They have spray painted electrical poles, walls with messages that say: We are in Crisis. Let’s Burn; Kill the Rich; and Fight or Die for Nothing.

“They are not happy with the policies taken by the government and tried to take advantage of the current situation where a lot of people are feeling anxious,” Jakarta police chief Inspector general Nana Sudjana said in a live broadcast on the police Instagram’s account over the weekend.

Four of the individuals arrested are aged 18 to 21, while police have not provided details on the fifth. Under Indonesia’s Criminal Code, they face a maximum 10-year jail term if later convicted by a court.

Four of them were arrested in Tangerang, a satellite town outside Jakarta, and the fifth in another satellite town, Bekasi, on Friday by a joint police operation between Jakarta and Tangerang police.

Three of the four arrested in Tangerang were having drinks at Cafe Egalitarian, which police believe to be the venue where they made plans for their acts of vandalism.

They vandalised at least four locations in Tangerang, by spray painting public walls and sidewalks with provocative messages, police said, adding that the culprits are pro anti-establishment.

Among the evidence confiscated were books on anarchism and unionism. Further investigation is under way into who else is involved in the movement.

Meanwhile, Jakarta is set to be joined by five adjacent cities and regencies this week in enforcing tough social distancing measures, which include a ban on gatherings of more than five people, a reduction in the number of passengers in a private vehicle to half its capacity and no dining-in at restaurants.

The five places, within West Java province, include Bekasi, Bogor and Depok. Last Friday, police, soldiers and public order officers took to the streets of Jakarta to enforce the just-announced semi-lockdown, locally termed as large-scale social distancing measures, as the capital grappled with surging infections and deaths from Covid-19.

“If this works, it would flatten the curve of the coronavirus spread starting in late June. But if we are not disciplined, this would continue in the coming months and it would be tiring,” West Java provincial governor Ridwan Kamil said on Sunday.

Those breaching the rules face a fine of up to 100 million rupiah (S$9,000) and up to a year in prison. Motorcycle taxis can still operate to deliver food and goods, but passenger rides are prohibited. Anyone venturing out for essential purposes must wear a mask, and residents are otherwise required to stay home.

The world’s fourth-most populous country of nearly 270 million people on Sunday registered another 46 deaths within the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of fatalities to 373 — the highest across South-east Asia. As many as 4,241 people have tested positive.

Jakarta accounts for more than half the national total, with 195 dead and 2,044 infected. The city of around 10 million recorded 36 more deaths and 96 new cases on Sunday.

About the Indonesian Anarchist Witch Hunt and the “Normal Activist Mentality”

Received on 12.04.2020:

In the middle of a global pandemic–as if there never was a global crisis to humanity before–and on the verge of a global economic recession, the Indonesian police have released a statement that anarchists are planning looting on a national scale on 18^th April, The Year of Corona. This idiotic and also a strategic statement falsely made by authority are a clear intention of seeking who to blame in this time of crisis while in the lower layer of Indonesian society many are already fed up with the conditions and looting is no longer a taboo subject. Anger is growing. But as media and the police tried to sensationalize the recent arrest of four anarchists accused of graffiti that said “It’s already a crisis, its time to burn” (see photo) they tried to manipulate the crisis and the incompetency of the state in responding to the situation by seeking a “public enemy” now named “the anarchists”. If we can just compare how the impact of some graffiti and the recent situation, the response of general middle class internet society and mostly also by activists, snitches, and cowards who are manipulated into focusing on a small group of anarchists in Tangerang, a few kilometers from Jakarta who were arrested for doing graffiti.

Who are these anarchists?

As false public rage grows towards the anarchists, the common narratives are “anarchists are provocateurs”, even some leftist activists go to the extent of wanting to cooperate with the state to crack down on the anarchists or labeling the action as stupid. And this is not something new. The activists, the middle class, who are so afraid of everything in this time of panic are easily manipulated, why? Other than their binary logic of thinking and their banalities of action, and of course illegalism to them means losing their illusion of safety. These same category of people undermined many anarchist projects during this time of crisis and pandemic such as giving out free food, creating shelter for the homeless, and other grassroots struggles, in which many of the so-called activists are sitting around and going with the “stay home” state scenario while the real public anger is burning and intensifying. The same anarchists who got arrested are active youngsters who run a co-op cafe, and are active in spreading counter-information, and the massive “a really-really free market” at a grassroots level. It is clear that the middle class and activist mentality mirrors the same idiotic scenario orchestrated by the state to make them a part of the society of control. This short update is also a fuck you note to every activist, and even some leftist anarchists who are blaming or accusing any direct action as being idiotic just because people ended up being arrested. It is also a fuck you note to the state that orchestrated this false scenario in blaming the anarchists. Maybe the anarchists will join the looting and it will most certainly happen! But dear state, you know so well that your structures are decomposing and we are going to help you rot. FUCK YOU.

Solidarity with the anarchists arrested in Tangerang!

The Individualist Circle

The Continual Anarchist Witch Hunt & the Scenario of State Incompetence

Received on 24.04.2020:

Only a few weeks ago comrades in Tangerang were arrested for graffiti and the media sensationalized the arrests followed by false information from police declaring that on the 18^th of April the Indonesian anarchists had planned mass looting nation wide. This was proven false. Moreover police were trying to make a ridiculous scenario in which a petit criminal they caught was forced to do a live video declaring himself as “The sole leader of the anarchists”, fortunately this video has become a national joke. Even before, many of the activists and journalists criticized police evidence concerning books. Police confiscated books and showed them off to the media and it was mostly non-political books, many of these books were fiction or non-fiction reports that were published legally. Hence, it is concluded that this evidence — books —are not court materials. But the Indonesian police are more than ready to exaggerate their own stupidity. Mass looting, prison riots, and even people dying of hunger has already happened throughout Indonesia.

The Absurd Arrests and the Isolation of the Defendants

Most of the defendants concerning the case were mostly doing graffiti. While it is clear that the graffiti was to incite riots, the state and the police seem so myopic or they’re consciously doing it to divert from the real issues as part of their strategy to veil the whole incompetency of the state in dealing with the crisis. Young anarchists were arrested in West Java and more recently in the city of Malang, East Java. This case is different to that of the Tangerang anarchists, the anarchists in Malang were arrested just because they were directly involved in social struggles against land grabbing, state corporations, and other grassroots struggles, one media report went as far as saying that the prosecution of these anarchists is just because, or as the police statement to the media said: “they are anti-capitalist.” These state scenarios smell like rotten eggs coming from idiotic bureaucrats.

One of the more outrageous arrests that occurred just a few days before was of a journalist who is very critical of government policy. Ravio Patra wrote about the state’s falsification of information about COVID-19 and published a comprehensive article on an independent news portal. Afterwards, his Whatsapp account was hacked — Whatsapp officials stated that it was true, his Whatsapp account was breached — and that all of a sudden he received messages via his account saying that “its already crisis, its time to burn, lets loot on 30^th of April”. Before this Ravio already contacted some experts about why he couldn’t seem to control his own account. Not many hours after, he was out of contact. Until most of his friends and advocacy groups confirmed that he had already been arrested.

We can say that the bureaucrats and police acted recklessly but in this time of pandemic it seems they can do whatever they want to prosecute anyone, especially people connected to the anarchists. In this latest scenario, we can see how the Indonesian state acted in a totalitarian manner. We will not go down in silence. This anarchist witch hunt has got to stop and we cannot beg the state to do it for us. Their absolute incompetency and their rotting infrastructures will go down. Down with surveillance and the society of control, decompose the state right now!

PS: The funny thing is that most anarchists in Indonesia are and were involved in countless public kitchens in a form of mutual aid and the state are and were always trying to criminalize everything.

We are the criminals, we don’t fucking value your laws. We’re going to help you die soon.

– Circle of Marvelous Individualists

Solidaritas internasional untuk tahanan anarkis Tangerang + Malang, dan tahanan politik Papua Barat

Solidaritas internasional untuk tahanan anarkis Tangerang + Malang, dan tahanan politik Papua Barat dari berbagai kota di Belanda dan Australia.

International solidarity for Tangerang + Malang anarchist prisoners, and West Papuan political prisoners from various cities in the Netherlands and Australia.

Solidaritas Anarkis Utrecht untuk Tahanan Anarkis Indonesia

“Solidaritas untuk tahanan anarkis Indonesia dari Utrecht, Belanda 🏴”

“Solidarity from Utrecht, Netherlands Free the Indonesian anarchist prisoners .”

Solidarity with Anarchist Prisoners in Tangerang and Bekasi

Received on 29.06.2020:

On April 9^th, 2020, three of our comrades were arrested and convicted of a heavy crime for spraying several graffiti that say “sudah krisis, saatnya membakar” (there’s a crisis already, time to burn) and “melawan atau mati konyol” (fight or perish). What is actually a voice of rightful citizens is considered a crime of provocation. Their art is a valid criticisms toward the government’s lack of integrity in mitigating the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic and just a petty crime at most.

Not long after, two other anarchists were also arrested by the police in Tangerang and Bekasi, without any solid ground. During the investigation, they were beaten and their faces were wrapped with plastic, which made them unconscious; a series of unauthorized measures to the point of torture. This violence was followed by isolation that made them unaccessible to their friends and families, even to legal attorneys that they’re supposed to get as stated by the law.

Three of them are currently undergoing a court trial. They are charged of violating the Law of the Republic of Indonesia, No. 01, 1946, article 14 and/or article 15, and against the Criminal Code article 160, where the conviction can be up to 10 years of prison time. Meanwhile, the other two, who are still underage, are already convicted with 4 months of prison time.

We are calling out for solidarity and open donation to support our comrades during their time behind bars. This solidarity is open for local donation or anyone overseas that shares the concern.

In Solidarity With Comrades Imprisoned in Malang and Tangerang, Indonesia

It seems that blame-game is a common tactic of different states during a pandemic. As petty violators in the local are blamed to cover up the late travel ban and late mass testing imposed by the government, the same is done by the Indonesian government by cracking down those who are critical to their incompetency.

Along with comrades from Australia, the Netherlands and other countries, we, individuals and collectives of the Local Autonomous Network, denounce the actions of the Indonesian government against comrades in Malang and Tangerang who were accused of inciting public disorder when disorder is already evident in the grassroots.

Following are the reasons for this condemnation:

• The hacking of social media accounts, as confirmed by Whatsapp, in the case of the journalist Ravio Patra. He announced that after being hacked, he was not able to control his own account and has received incriminating messages such as “ It’s already crisis, it’s time to burn, Let’s loot on the 30^th of April!”

• The isolation tactics applied to five individuals in Tangerang, near Jakarta, who were arrested for vandalism, allegedly inciting to public disorder. They were arrested using warrants which did not contain their names. The state has also been depriving them of legal assistance and communication with their families since their arrests. The Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) demanded that the police should substantiate their charges.

• The illegal detention of a minor involved in the Tangerang incident, on which the state has not disclosed any information to the public.

• The authorities forcing a petty criminal to confess in a video, stating that he is the “sole leader” of the plan to provoke nationwide looting when looting was already prevalent due to lack of government support amidst the loss of jobs of 1.5 million formal and informal workers.

• The arrest of three individuals in Malang in East Java for the same charges, “public provocation”, who were actively involved in struggles against land-grabbing, state corporations, and for being simply “anti-capitalists”

• The confiscation of books and other materials owned by the arrested five in Tangerang, which the police claim are effectual to the vandalisms. The books include Tan Malaka’s Aksi Mass (Mass Action), Eka Kurniawan’s Core Coret Di Toilet (Doodles in the Toilet), and Indonesia Dala Krisis 1997–2002 (Indonesia in Crisis 1997–2002) which are actually not illegal in Indonesia. The Rights Group for Missing Person and Victims of Violence (KontraS) adds that “The arrests shoud not be based on suspicion and certain analyses.”

Political opportunism during the pandemic comes in many forms. In the so-called Philippines, tens of thousands have been arrested due to non-criminal charges, resulting to the cramming of non-violent violators in prisons and other detention facilities. Demolitions continue. Extraction of resources for foreign companies remain unhindered. A media corporation, slightly critical to the government, was shut down. Government armed forces are conditioned into being desensitized robots by encouraging them to kill in the presence of the slightest misbehavior.

Now, more than ever, we need to express solidarity with comrades from all over the world. As we demonstrate our aspirations through resource-sharing, mutual aid and cooperation in our localities, we should stay connected to strengthen mutual protection.

In solidarity!

Solidarity with Anarchist Prisoners in Tangerang and Bekasi in Indonesia

The anti-anarchist repression in Indonesia is still ongoing whilst the country (and the world) is in the middle of a pandemic. Last month the anarchist milieu in the Philippines published a statement in support of imprisoned anarchist comrades in Indonesia. (See: In Solidarity With Comrades Imprisoned in Malang and Tangerang, Indonesia.)

It is clear the state in Indonesia—just like the state in the Philippines—is deeply insecure about criticisms to their rule and their mishandling of the pandemic. We condemn the police brutality committed and we demand that charges be dropped and the comrades set free. We ask that comrades around the world help support the imprisoned comrades in Tangerang and Bekasi.

What follows is the report forwarded to us by Anti Feminist Feminist Club.

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On April 9^th, 2020, three of our comrades were arrested and convicted of a heavy crime for spraying several graffiti that say “sudah krisis, saatnya membakar” (there’s a crisis already, time to burn) and “melawan atau mati konyol” (fight or perish). What is actually a voice of rightful citizens is considered a crime of provocation. Their art is a valid criticisms toward the government’s lack of integrity in mitigating the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic and just a petty crime at most.

Not long after, two other anarchists were also arrested by the police in Tangerang and Bekasi, without any solid ground. During the investigation, they were beaten and their faces were wrapped with plastic, which made them unconscious; a series of unauthorized measures to the point of torture. This violence was followed by isolation that made them unaccessible to their friends and families, even to legal attorneys that they’re supposed to get as stated by the law.

Three of them are currently undergoing a court trial. They are charged of violating the Law of the Republic of Indonesia, No. 01, 1946, article 14 and/or article 15, and against the Criminal Code article 160, where the conviction can be up to 10 years of prison time. Meanwhile, the other two, who are still underage, are already convicted with 4 months of prison time.

We are calling out for solidarity and open donation to support our comrades during their time behind bars. This solidarity is open for local donation or anyone overseas that shares the concern.

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Addendum

In responding to reports that this fundraiser is a scam, the AFFC has confirmed to us that the fundraiser is not a scam and that it is organized by people close to the members of the AFFC. The fundraiser is not affiliated with the PPAS but is rather a coordination with those directly involved in the legal aid for the anarchist prisoners.

Update on Anti-Authoritarian Prisoners Involved in Vandalism (Tangerang and Bekasi, Indonesia)

Saturday, July 25^th 2020; report written by the Anti-authoritarian Federation (FedAO).

Three anti-authoritarian detainees from Tangerang and Bekasi are currently undergoing a court trial. They were arrested on April 9, 2020 for spraying graffiti that said “sudah krisis, saatnya membakar” (there’s a crisis already, time to burn) and “melawan atau mati konyol” (fight or perish). They were charged with violating the Law of the Republic of Indonesia, No. 01, 1946, article 14 and/or article 15, and against the Criminal Code article 160. In lay terms, they are charged with the crime of “provocation,” for which the conviction could be up to 10 years of prison time.

At the beginning of their arrest and detention last April, the anti-authoritarian detainees experienced violence and isolation at the hands of the police. They were put in isolation for about one month in which the police prevented them from meeting with their families and legal assistance. With the support of their strong-willed families and friends, the anti-authoritarian detainees were able to secure the assistance from public lawyers of the Jakarta Legal Aid (Lembaga Bantuan Hukum—LBH). However despite this assistance, the police still tried to force the detainees and their families to change their legal representation from the LBH to lawyers appointed by the police department.

Since their first trial on June 15, 2020, the three anti-authoritarians have had 9 hearings already. The 10^th hearing will be held on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 with the agenda of the examination of witnesses by the prosecutor. During the previous hearings, the legal defense repeatedly stressed that acts of vandalism are a violation of public order and therefore an indictment of 10 years in prison is not appropriate. According to their legal assistance, public order violations are only relevant given administrative sanctions in the form of reprimands or repainting the public facilities. Moreover, the police have made deviations from legal procedures, such as excessive violence and isolating detainees from legal assistance and families. Following the violence perpetrated by police, the legal assistance and families of the detainees reported these alleged violations to PROPAM last July 22, 2020. (PROPAM is the division of the Indonesian police in charge of professional accountability and internal security, an equivalent of an ombudsman for police.)

The two other detainees who were arrested with the three anti-authoritarians are underage and have been sentenced to 4-months imprisonment. Their confinement period will end on the beginning of August. So far, their families can only “visit” them virtually.

In addition to litigation assistance, several anti-authoritarian communities and individuals are continuing the campaign to contribute in various capacities in support the detainees.

In Solidarity,

Anti-authoritarian Federation (Federasi Anti-Otoritarian—FedAO)

The Tangerang Vandalism Case: The Court Decides Guilt Despite Torture and Inappropriate Application of Articles

A report from the Federasi Anti-Otoritarian.

On September 28, 2020, the Tangerang District Court (Pengadilan Negeri) judges read out the verdict of the the anti-authoritarians accused of vandalism. The judges sentenced Muhammad Riski Riyanto Bin Abdul Syukur (age 21) and Rio Imanuel Adolof Pattinama (aka Petrus Adolof Pattinama; age 23) to prison for 10 months in case No: 1136/Pid.Sus/2020/PN Tng. They were declared to have spread false news and to have deliberately spread disturbances among the people as regulated in Article 14 Paragraph (1) of Law Number 1, Year 1946, concerning Criminal Law Regulation.

Meanwhile, Rizki Julianda (aka RJ aka Zonee; age 19) was tried separately in case No: 1135/Pid.Sus/2020/ PN Tng and was sentenced to imprisonment for 8 months. He was declared to have committed incitement to commit a criminal act and incitement to commit violence against public authority or to have not obeyed either the provisions of the law or a position order given based on the provisions of the law as regulated in Article 160 of the Criminal Code (KUHP).

Last April 9, 2020, Rio Imanuel Adolof Pattinama and Muhammad Riski Riyanto Bin Abdul Syukur were arrested by the police for drawing graffiti using spray paint at several locations around Anyer Market, Tangerang. They did this as a form of protest against the disastrous policies of the state during the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, Rizki Julianda, was arrested in Bekasi because the police deemed him to be a member of an anarcho-syndicalist group that would create chaos.

The defense attorneys of the anti-authoritarians on trial considered the decision as a dangerous precedent. The attorneys said that the judges issued a decision without considering the torture committed against the defendants and the procedural violations committed by the police. One of the defendants’ attorney, Shaleh Al Gifari, went on to say that the trial should have been deemed flawed.

“The judges ignored the fact that there had been torture [used] against the defendants, violations of procedural law, and violations of the rights of the defendant. So that the series of investigations, prosecutions and examinations at trial should be deemed flawed because they used evidence obtained from torture—fruit of poisonous tree,” Gifari said.

Attorney Gifari also stated that the judges applied inappropriate legal articles to the defendants’ case.

“The criminal verdict against Muhammad Riski Riyanto and Rio Imanuel Adolof Pattinama is clearly inappropriate for the judges to use Article 14 Paragraph (1) of Law Number 1 Year 1946 because based on the facts revealed in court, they should only be subject to administrative sanctions in the form of an oral/written warning by the local government is deemed to have violated public order as regulated in Article 7 of the Tangerang City Regional Regulation Number 6 of 2011 concerning Public Order. In addition, the writings or messages conveyed by both are legitimate criticism and are part of the response of citizens to the country’s failure to protect all Indonesian people in this pandemic situation, so that it cannot be said to be fake news, especially deliberately publishing chaos among the people,” Gifar added.

Meanwhile in Rizki Julianda case, the judges should have released him because all the articles accused him were clearly not proven in court.

“The judges decided to use Article 160 of the Criminal Code against Rizki Julianda. This article is a material offense as decided by the Constitutional Court through the Decision of the Constitutional Court Number 7/PUU-VII/2009 dated July 22, 2009 and explained by the expert presented by the defendant’s legal counsel at the trial. Material offense means that the perpetrator can only be convicted if the prohibited consequences arise. However, the judge interpreted that the defendant’s act of creating a telegram group eventually resulted in a graffiti incident in Tangerang. This is clearly a very broad interpretation and is not based on the facts of the trial, that the graffiti were spontaneous actions by the defendants Muhammad Riski Riyanto and Rio Imanuel Adolof Pattinama for their restlessness over the handling of the corona pandemic by the Government,” Gifar said.

Attorney Gifar also criticized the judge’s decision regarding the evidence confiscated where it was decided that following items be seized and destroyed: 1 (one) 15.6 inch monitor, 1 (one) keyboard, 1 (one) mouse, 1 (one) unit of printer, 1 (one) unit of CPU, 3 (three) units of mobile phones as well as several books and novels. The books seized should have been returned to their owners because they were not directly related to the criminal acts deemed committed by the defendants. The destruction of books and novels sets a bad precedent for the tradition of freedom of thought and expression.

FedAO has concluded their organizing after the release of their incarcerated comrades

We, Federasi Anti Otoritarian (Fed AO) and Kolektif Kucing, are composed of individuals as well as collective federations formed on an ad hoc basis when our comrades were arrested and charged for vandalism in June 2020. We were coordinating and conducting our activities on a loose basis with no structural order. Our aim was to push up our comrades’ case so that it wouldn’t be overlooked or drowned by the gossip of some celebrities.

We have been accused by some people of “selling” our comrades’ names just because we made press releases in English to keep the international anarchist networks updated. We have to say that this accusation has no ground since we have a very strict and clean financial statement even though the fund we managed was not a large sum.

After all our incarcerated comrades were released, we have stopped all the financial activities and we were no longer involved in fundraising for this issue. We will soon release the report of all the funds we received during the trial and the sentence period. However for security reasons, this report will only be sent to those who have been involved and may have a real concern over the case.

By this press release, we would like to state that any fundraising related to our comrades’ case is now closed and we declare that we have nothing to do with further fundraising activities. We refuse to be connected or associated with any kind of these activities in the future. Fed AO and Komite Kucing have resigned the issue and dissolved. For more information, you can reach us at fed.ao@protonmail.com.

For our ex-inmates, welcome to the greater cell, comrades! Ciaooo...