Police in Bali have rejected the request to suspend the detainment of Superman Is Dead (SID) drummer Jerinx, as communities on the island showcase support and solidarity for the controversial figure by putting up banners and billboards across the island.
“The request to suspend his detainment has been rejected,” Bali Police spokesman Syamsi confirmed today.
“[We are] concerned that he may repeat what he did so he will remain in detainment.”
Jerinx, whose real name is I Gede Ari Astina, was detained last Wednesday for alleged defamation and hate speech, over a social media post deemed insulting by the Balinese chapter of the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI).
In a post uploaded to his Instagram account @jrxsid on June 13, Jerinx accused IDI of being “flunkeys” to the World Health Organization (WHO). He said that tests to detect COVID-19 are inaccurate and questioned why the association and hospitals in Indonesia are making it a requirement for mothers who are giving birth.
The musician, who has long been a controversial figure, has actively shared and endorsed conspiracy theories on social media amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with his more recent posts urging people to stop wearing masks.
His detainment has sparked an outpouring of support from communities across Indonesia, as it illustrates yet another example of the problematic Information and Electronic Transactions Act (UU ITE).
Read Also — Jerinx, UU ITE, and the endless threat to freedom of expression in Indonesia
This is perhaps best illustrated by the banners and posters popping up all over social media and across Bali, as well as other parts of Indonesia such as Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara, featuring slogans like #BebaskanJRXSID (Free Jerinx) and #SayaBersamaJRX (I’m with Jerinx).
