The firm stance of the Pekanbaru Police Chief Kombes Pol Dr Pria Budi, S.I.K, M.H was awaited by the people of Riau in particular and the people of Indonesia in general.

Why not, it is important that the Police Chief's firm stance is immediately taken for the sake of upholding the rule of law in following up the alleged criminalization of journalist Rudi Yanto and activist Larshen Yunus which was allegedly carried out by his subordinates, Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of Pekanbaru Police Commissioner Andrie Setiawan, SH, SIK, and three investigators of Pekanbaru Police Ipda Petrus Situmorang, SH, Iptu Holder Situmorang, SH and Brigadier Novriadi, SH.

The Pekanbaru Police Chief stated that he had received reports of alleged criminalization of activists and journalists reported by activist Larshen Yunus and Wartakontras.com journalist Rudi Yanto who reported the Head of Criminal Investigation Unit for Pekanbaru Police Commissioner Andrie Setiawan, SH, SIK, and three Pekanbaru Police investigators Ipda Petrus Situmorang, SH, Iptu Holder Situmorang, SH and Brigadier Novriadi, SH.

"We are following up, checking the truth of the report," said Pol Kombes Dr Pria Budi, S.I.K, M.H to wartakontras.com, Friday (11/2/2022) when confirmed via WhatsApp (WA) message.

Moreover, the criminalization of activist Larshen Yunus and journalist Rudi Yanto was carried out when two well-known youths were active in voicing the interests of many people in carrying out their duties as Agents of Change and Agents of Control.

Instead, they are protected and even criminalized when they are in the public space of the Riau DPRD People's Building.

If, the illegal practice of criminalization is continued and continues to be carried out, it will certainly tarnish the image of the Pekanbaru Police Chief who always maintains the good name of the Police Institution.

A multi-generational activist Larshen Yunus is an Anti-Corruption Activist and Activist who is well-known for caring for the poor and defending the oppressed.

Larshen Yunus, a well-known activist from Riau, is an Alumni of the Vocational School of Gadjah Mada University (UGM) and an Alumni of Sospol Unri. Larshen Yunus is also the Chairman of the GAMARI Central Presidium (PP) for five terms and the Head of the Satya Wicaksana Law Office.

Journalist Rudi Yanto is a journalist and editor-in-chief of Wartakontras.com who has been a journalist for 12 years working in the press sector, which is the fourth pillar of democracy. Rudi, who is a former Riau Haluan Daily Journalist, has a Journalist Competency Test Certificate (UKW) from the Press Council.

Not only that, Rudi even has a Digital Media Reporter Certificate from the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology of the Republic of Indonesia. Then, Rudi Yanto joined the Association of Indonesian Journalists (PWI), which is the oldest journalist organization in Indonesia. Along with the euphoria and excitement of the commemoration of the National Press Day (HPN) which falls on February 9, 2022 in Kendari, South Sulawesi, journalists in Riau have been criminalized.

The alleged criminalization of journalists and activists in Riau originated from the Riau Provincial DPRD's State Civil Apparatus (ASN) on behalf of Ferry Sasfriadi with a report of Entrance without Permit and Vandalism in the Honorary Board of the Riau DPRD. This report must be proven in the name of the law, especially since this report is clearly slanderous against journalists and activists. It is clearly suspected that it was engineered by the Pekanbaru Police investigators, allegedly on the orders of the Riau DPRD Secretariat Official and Riau DPRD Members in an effort to criminalize activists and journalists.

“The reporter must be able to prove, who saw the destruction? with what tool did he do it? for what purpose do they do this? these are activists and journalists of Agents of Change and Agents of Control who voice the interests of the community at large," said Dr Yudi Krismen as the Legal Counsel for the Reported Party who is the Doctor of Criminal Law, the Padjadjaran University Alumni.

Journalist Rudi Yanto, one of the reported parties, stated that the evidence of the report against him was slander because there was no evidence and witnesses, let alone CCTV evidence of vandalism, such as the article alleged.

Then, the evidence of this report is slander, namely who the reporter to the Pekanbaru Police has different information between the Riau DPRD internal party, especially the Pekanbaru Police Investigator.

“The Pekanbaru Police investigator who examined me, Ipda Petrus Situmorang, S.H, stated that the reporter was a BK staff. In fact, we already have permission from the Riau DPRD BK Expert Staff," explained Rudi.

However, this Unri Faperika Alumni continued, in the news in online media that attached a photo of the evidence of the report, it explained that the complainant was an ASN. In a different way, the Head of Public Relations of the Riau DPRD, Raja Faisal, said in the press conference that the reporter was the security section of the Riau DPRD. The security section of the Riau DPRD is security and the Riau DPRD security is not ASN.

"From here, it's clear that it's not true, for just who the reporter is, their information is different from one another. I strongly suspect that the five witnesses are false witnesses," said Rudi, who already has a Journalist Competency Test Certification from the Press Council.

According to the report at the Riau DPRD People's Building, investigator Ipda Petrus Situmorang, SH said that his party had examined five witnesses before asking for their statements.

"We asked the five witnesses, what are they trying to do?, even though we were both in the room, the CCTV footage of the Riau DPRD BK room was leaked to journalists, in the video it was clear that we did not do any damage at all. In fact, I was doing my reporting duty which was protected by the Press Law, but instead I was criminalized like this,” said Rudi.

In the process of his investigation regarding the invitation for an ordinary request for clarification on February 2, 2022, Rudi was questioned by Pekanbaru Police Investigator Ipda Petrus Situmorang, SH, who was not at all humanistic and seemed to take sides with the reporter who did not uphold the principle of presumption of innocence. abusively while smoking and intimidating him into making a confession according to the allegations. So, much of what the investigator wrote often did not match the results of my answer.

“Because of the inhumane behavior of the investigators, using abusive language while smoking cigarettes in examining me, examining me like I am a criminal and totally inconsistent with POLRI'S PRECISION. So, we have reported the investigators to the Head of the Propam Riau Police, the Pekanbaru Police Chief and the Pekanbaru Propam Headquarters. We have sent a copy to the Head of the Criminal Investigation Investigation Bureau of the Police, and Commission III of the DPR RI and other related parties," said Rudi, who is a member of the Riau PWI.

In fact, the evidence of this case was engineered and forced, ready for us to be examined on Wednesday (2/2/2022) and immediately went up for investigation. Thursday (3/3/2022). The process for the title of the case is questionable because it has not been notified at all to the reported party and his legal counsel. Then, a notification letter for the start of the investigation was sent to the Pekanbaru Kejari with a letter dated February 9, 2022, which was signed by Andrie Setiawan, SH, S.I.K as Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of the Pekanbaru Police.

"That in this case the Pekanbaru Police must prioritize Restorative Justice first, as mandated by the Indonesian National Police Regulation Number 8 of 2021. And that has not been done at all," said Dr Yudi Krismen.

It is clear that the illegal practice of criminalizing journalists and activists is a legal process that was engineered and forced by the Pekanbaru Police, allegedly at the instigation of Riau DPRD Officials and Riau DPRD Members.

Because the evidence of the CCTV footage that was leaked by the Riau DPRD to journalists, it is clear that we never did any damage in accordance with the article that was alleged, because we did not do any damage, we carried out our duty to cover coverage that was protected by the Press Law, not protected but I was instead criminalized.

“In fact, my report at the Riau Police seems to have been frozen. The secretary of the Riau DPRD until now has not been investigated at all as the reported party. The Secretariat should have been examined two weeks ago, said the investigator, I as the Reporting Party will be notified if the reported party is summoned. However, in fact, until now there has been no follow-up information, this clearly proves that the law is sharp downwards and blunts upwards," explained Rudi.

"I have written to the Riau Police Chief and the Indonesian President Joko Widodo asking that the rule of law be enforced, there should be no difference like what I am experiencing right now, the law is sharp downwards and blunt upwards which clearly contradicts POLRI PRECISION. Stop criminalizing journalists and activists. However, until now there has been no response from the Riau Police Chief at all,” said Rudi.

He continued, the issue of discrimination and criminalization of journalists and activists. Journalist Rudi Yanto and activist Larshen Yunus wrote to the Riau Police Chief and President Jokowi.

“We hope that the rule of law will be enforced and stop the criminalization of journalists and activists. Don't, because what I reported to the Riau DPRD Secretary, Muflihun, was privileged to him, as is happening now," said Rudi.

Moreover, before being reported, journalist Rudi Yanto was expelled from the Riau DPRD Building on Thursday (12/23/2021) and was accused by the Secretary of the Council (Sekwan) of the Riau DPRD, Muflihun of damaging, tearing apart and accused of stealing by stating that there were items missing in the office of the Board of Directors. The honor (BK) of the Riau DPRD when journalist Rudi Yanto carried out coverage on December 15, 2021 with Activist Larshen Yunus who was the resource person, Senior Researcher of Formappi Riau reporting rogue members of DPRD Riau lazy to work.

In his accusation, Sekwan stated that all of this was recorded on CCTV and journalist Rudi Yanto had been reported on behalf of the Riau DPRD institution to the Police. However, in fact the journalist Rudi Yanto and the activist Larshen Yunus were only reported on December 29, 2021.