Roy Suryo's Camp Responds to Restorative Justice Motion by Rismon Sianipar

Jakarta — Roy Suryo, a suspect in the alleged forged diploma case involving Indonesia’s seventh president, Joko Widodo, has responded to the restorative justice application filed by Rismon Hasiholan Sianipar at the Jakarta Metro Police headquarters.

“Has there been any change in stance from the statement already made by Rismon Hasiholan Sianipar? No, we are saying we will not back down 0.1 per cent,” he said when encountered at Jakarta Metro Police headquarters on Thursday.

Roy Suryo also stated that he is neither disappointed nor emotional regarding Rismon’s move to pursue restorative justice, as he believes a researcher must eliminate emotional and disappointed attitudes.

“Science is about ‘yes’ or ‘no’. So I am simply saying we will continue on our path. If there is a colleague who perhaps feels uncomfortable, that is fine, perhaps they may want to repeat their research,” he said.

Meanwhile, the lawyer for Roy Suryo, Rismon Hasiholan Sianipar and Tifauzia Tyassuma, Refly Harun, said he was unaware that Rismon had filed for restorative justice.

Refly also stated that he had not yet been able to contact Rismon to determine his reasons for filing for restorative justice — whether he genuinely wishes to be freed or feels cornered by the forged diploma case.

“So we want to be absolutely clear. We must not have a situation where someone takes a step because they are under pressure, because this is a state governed by law. People cannot be pressured, and then because they are pressured they surrender, and then subsequently say the opposite of what they had previously stated,” he said.

Jakarta Metro Police confirmed that one of the suspects in the alleged forged diploma case involving Indonesia’s seventh president, Joko Widodo, Rismon Hasiholan Sianipar (RHS), has filed for restorative justice.

“Indeed, it is true that one of the suspects, RHS, together with his lawyer, came to us today to inquire about the progress of a letter previously submitted by the person in question,” said the Director of Criminal Investigation at Jakarta Metro Police, Police Brigadier General Iman Imanuddin in Jakarta on Wednesday (11 March).

Iman stated that several days ago RHS, together with his lawyer, submitted a request for facilitation of restorative justice to the investigators.

“As facilitators, the investigators have made efforts and are continuing to make efforts to facilitate the request submitted by suspect RHS,” he said.