Jakarta’s acting governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat said the provincial government is ready to provide safe houses for victims of violence and persecution in order for to protect them from harm.
Djarot said this step is an immediate response to the abuse suffered by a 15-year-old Jakartan in the hands of members of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) for posting memes about their scandal-hit leader Rizieq Shihab.
Currently, law enforcement is tasked with providing safe houses for victims or those in witness protection. In fact, the police have placed the 15-year-old persecution victim and his family under their protection in an undisclosed safe house.
“We (the provincial government) can help to build safe houses. Where would be the best location for a safe house? Government, police, or military offices,” Djarot said today, as quoted by Kompas.
“It’s not just for this case (the persecution of the 15-year-old), but [a safe house] would also be for victims of domestic violence.”
Djarot did not go into further detail as to when and where the public could expect to see the provincial government’s safe houses, but said that plans for them has actually been in the works for a while, ever since Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama was still governor.
In addition, Djarot offered protection to another recent high-profile persecution victim, Dr Fiera Lovita, who was forced to leave her town of Solok, West Sumatra, after being threatened by hardliners for criticizing Rizieq Shihab online. Djarot said that should she decide to relocate to Jakarta, she can work for the provincial government.
Human rights watchdog Southeast the Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet) noted that there have been 55 cases nationwide of people being persecuted for allegedly insulting ulemas online ever since Rizieq Shihab became a criminal suspect in his pornography case.
