Jakarta The National Police has sworn to release a cross-border manhunt to capture Joseph Paul Zhang, an Indonesian nationwide who allegedly caused a stir in the Muslim majority country by stating himself as a prophet, a claim that might be considered blasphemy under Indonesia’s law.
Joseph has been publishing intriguing videos on his Youtube channel, containing supposed insults directed at the Muslims at risk of flaming another interreligious stress– not unlike ones during the sectarian-charged elections in the previous few years– that the country has yet to solve.
” He will be discovered, and we will collaborate with every [authorities],” Insp. Gen Argo Yuwono, the National Police’s representative, said on Sunday.
Individually, Comr. Gen Agus Andrianto, the head of the cops’s Lawbreaker Investigation Unit (Bareskrim), told Antara news company that the cops thought Joseph has actually no longer remained in Indonesia.
Immigration information revealed Joseph had actually left Indonesia given that January 2018, Agus stated, without revealing his location. Still, the police would deal with foreign authorities where Joseph currently lives to bring him house, Agus said.
” The cooperation mechanism with foreign cops might work if the nation he lives in today consents to deport him,” Agus said.
The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), an Islamic cleric company partly funded by the government, and the Nahdlatul Ulama, the nation’s largest Muslim company, said Joseph had actually made declarations that violated the rules related to religious blasphemy.
” We plainly condemn the uproar incited by Joseph Paul Zhang who had actually insulted the Prophet Muhammad and insulted the mentors of Islam,” Anwar Abbas, MUI’s deputy chairman, said on Sunday.
MUI also prompted the police to take firm action against Joseph.
The clerics’ organization also asked Muslims to be calm and delegate the police to resolve the case. He said that the National Authorities Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo had informed the clerics that the police would act on this case, all set to take actions.
” We ought to give the greatest respect and gratitude to the Chief of Police, who has actually right away given guidelines to his subordinates to arrest the criminal. For that, we wait,” he said.
Helmy Faishal Zaini, the secretary-general of NU’s executive board, said the organizations condemn Joseph’s antics. NU also repeated MUI’s calls, asking Muslims to practice restraints.
” We also ask Muslims to remain calm and not be provoked to do things that are outside the passages of the applicable law,” stated Helmy.
Indonesia’s Bad guy Code (KUHP) forbids blasphemy, subjecting those deliberately spreading out hatred, hostility, or contempt against religions to as much as 5 years in jail if they are condemned.
