REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BOGOR -- Leader of the Muslim LawyerTeam (TPM) Mahendradatta said ustaz Abu Bakar Ba'asyir didn't say much about the release promised to him. In fact, his client was confused by the current conditions.
Mahendradatta said, the presidential envoy, Yusril Izha Mahendra, had visited Baasyir and promised him an unconditional freedom from the Gunung Sindur Prison. Yusril said president has approved the release on humanitarian grounds.
Therefore, TPM as Baasyir's attorney asked the chairman of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) about his promise.
"He (Ba'asyir) said to me, 'a promise is a promise'. They have given a promise. In fact, ustaz has never asked anything to the president or Yusril and others," said Mahendradatta at the Gunung Sindur Prison Complex, on Wednesday (Jan 23).
Mahendradatta explained, Ba'asyir had stated to Yusril that he favored the unconditional release. However, he asserted that Ba'asyir had never asked for unconditional release either to Yusril or President Joko Widodo.
"These are all the provisions of Allah whether ustaz will be freed or not," Mahendradatta said.
Mahendradatta said if the government changed the promise to parole, then it will be a problem. Moreover, things were heralded to the public that Ba'asyir did not want to sign a statement.
In fact, there were statements about Pancasila and anti-Pancasila, which Ba'asyir never thought of. Therefore, the TPM will report the matter to the House of Representatives (DPR).
Leader of Muslim Lawyer Team (TPM) Mahendradatta holds a press conference at Gunung Sindur Prison, Bogor, West Java, Wednesday (Jan 23).
Previously, Yusril revealed that Jokowi had agreed to release Ba'asyir from Gunung Sindur prison. The decision was made considering Ba'asyir's age and his health condition.
In addition, Yusril explained, ustaz Abu Bakar Ba'asyir had also served two-third of his sentence from a 15-year imprisonment in 2011 related to terrorism case in Indonesia.
"So it is for humanitarian reasons too. Besides his age, he's currently sick. The president finally agreed to give him unconditional freedom," Yusril explained.
In 2011, the Panel of Judges at the South Jakarta District Court sentenced Ba'asyir to 15 years in prison because he was proven legally and convincingly to move other people in using funds to commit acts of terrorism in Indonesia. Then in December 2018, Ba'asyir was supposed to get parole.
Ba'asyir rejected the parole because he preferred to be given unconditional release. In January 2019, Baasyir, who had only been serving an eight-year sentence, had been granted unconditional freedom from the president on humanitarian grounds.
However, until Wednesday (Jan 23), Ba'asyir was still in the jail because the government decided to review the release. The parole failed to be given as Ba'asyir did not meet the conditions, namely stating oath of loyalty to the country and Pancasila.
Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika
