Jakarta – Islam Defenders Front (FPI) patron Rizieq Shihab's lawyer, Kapitra Ampera, has said his team is set to apply for a pre-trial hearing to challenge the Jakarta Police's decision to name the cleric a suspect in an alleged pornography case.
"Insya Allah [God willing], we will file the pretrial hearing request this June," he told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
Kapitra said the lawyer team was still waiting for one document, which was essential in submitting the pre-trial request. He refused to explain what document he was talking about.
Rizieq left Indonesia to perform umrah (minor haj) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, from April 25 to May 10, skipping a police summons for questioning over the pornography case allegedly involving him and Firza Husein, the coordinator of the Solidaritas Sahabat Cendana Foundation (SSC) and a treason suspect.
Rizieq did not return to Indonesia after performing umrah and instead, planned to extend his visa.
During his long stay in Saudi Arabia, Kapitra said, Rizieq continued to write his dissertation for a doctoral degree at a university in Malaysia. He also used much of his time to meet with Muslim leaders in the country.
"He also delivers tausiyah [sermon] to university students and Indonesian citizens living in Saudi Arabia," Kapitra said. (ecn/ebf)