Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Jakarta police have decided to prohibit Firza Husein, a suspect in an alleged pornography case involving WhatsApp chats and pictures, from leaving the country.

"The (application) letter has been submitted today," Jakarta Metropolitan Police Command spokesman Senior Commissioner Argo Yuwono said here, Thursday.

He stated the Metro Jaya Police Command has applied to the Directorate General of Immigration of the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights for a six-month prohibition on Husein from traveling abroad.

Huseins lawyer Azis Yanuar deplored the polices decision saying that "it is not necessary, as we will be cooperative."

He, however, agreed the police had the authority to prevent a suspect from escaping.

Husein has had no record of escaping so far, and therefore, the police should not have issued the decision, Yanuar maintained.

After questioning him, the Jakarta police have named Husein a suspect in connection with the spread of vulgar pictures and chats, involving the chief of Islam Defenders Front (FPI), Habib Rizieq Shihab, Tuesday evening.

The police have charged Husein with Article 4 Paragraph 1, in conjunction with Article 29 and, or Article 6, in conjunction with Article 32 or Article 8, in conjunction with Article 34 of Law Number 44 of 2008 regarding pornography, carrying a jail sentence of more than five years.

The police are expecting to question FPI chief Shihab in the case, as soon as he returned to the country from abroad.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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