Delpedro Granted Permission to Attend Joint Prayer Ahead of Verdict: 'Let Heaven Guide the Panel'

JAKARTA — The defendant in the case of alleged incitement of the August 2025 demonstrations, Delpedro Marhaen Rismansyah, asked permission from the panel of judges of the Central Jakarta District Court (PN Jakarta Pusat) to attend a joint prayer before the verdict hearing scheduled for Friday (6 March 2026). The request was made for him and co-defendant Muzaffar Salim because both are currently held under city confinement (tahanan kota) according to their domiciles. Delpedro resides in North Jakarta, while Muzaffar lives in South Jakarta. Meanwhile, the joint prayer and breaking fast with orphans took place in Kwitang, Central Jakarta, Thursday (5 March 2026). ‘Your Honour, there is no hearing tomorrow. Since there is no hearing tomorrow, (we) I and Muzaffar wish to ask permission to go to the Jakarta Pusat panel,’ Delpedro said during the reading of the duplik in PN Jakarta Pusat, Kemayoran, on Wednesday night (4 March 2026). ‘Because tomorrow there will be a joint prayer and breaking of the fast with orphans as preparation for the verdict tomorrow. So Muzaffar and I request permission to leave our domiciles at around 4:00 pm to 7-8 pm for the panel to attend at Kwitang, Central Jakarta,’ he added. The presiding judge, Harike Nova Yeri, then asked Delpedro whether permission was also sought for the defendant Syahdan Husein, who is also under city confinement. Delpedro replied that Syahdan indeed resides in Jakarta Pusat. ‘So the request is to obtain permission from the panel. Is that allowed, panel?’ Delpedro asked, which was met with laughter from colleagues and legal counsel. The Public Prosecutor (JPU) and the panel smiled at the request from Lokataru Foundation’s Executive Director. Delpedro added with a touch of humour that the prayer and breaking fast with orphans was organised so that the verdict to be read on Friday might be more lenient towards him and three of his colleagues. ‘God willing, let the panel’s path be guided by the heavens,’ he said, drawing further laughter from those present. After the panel had considered the matter, presiding judge Harike Nova Yeri granted Delpedro Marhaen and Muzaffar Salim permission to attend the breaking of the fast and the joint prayer. However, she reminded the defendants to respect the trust placed in them by the panel.