Global Courant
JAKARTA – Indonesian teacher Iman Zanatul Haeri quickly turned to anger when he discovered that his sister had been raped and filmed, presumably by her then-boyfriend, and the video circulated online and reached her family and friends.
It was in December 2022 when one of Mr. Iman’s siblings received a five-second video clip from an unknown sender on Instagram, which showed their sister being sexually assaulted at a house in Pandeglang Regency, West Java.
After the family questioned her, the 23-year-old law student broke down and claimed the man forced her into a relationship with him and subjected her to physical abuse, including beating and threatening her with a knife, for three years.
“It took us a while to convince her that we should report the matter to the police,” 32-year-old Iman told The Straits Times. “She was in denial and didn’t realize she had been a victim. She had low self-esteem and was afraid that the perpetrator would take revenge on her.”
Mr Iman’s family eventually filed a report with the police.
“After the perpetrator’s depraved act towards my sister, there are simply no pleasant words for him,” said Mr. Iman. “We wish he could be locked up in prison forever. The wound he inflicted on my sister and our family is huge and will not heal that easily.”
His sister’s boyfriend, 22-year-old Alwi Husen Maolana, was arrested in February and subsequently charged in court for distributing content that violates decency, under Indonesia’s Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Act.
The closed-door hearings took place from May and the verdict will be handed down on July 11. The offense carries a prison sentence of up to six years, a fine of one billion rupiah (S$90,000), or both. Prosecutors have demanded the maximum sentence.
Alwi’s family has said his relationship with his girlfriend was like any other, and sex between them was reportedly consensual, according to local media.
Mr Iman said he was determined to take further legal action against the perpetrator for sexually assaulting his sister and for alleged murder, rape and extortion threats against her.
“This is not about revenge, but we want to ensure our sister’s safety and peace of mind,” he said.
In his quest for justice, Mr Iman has also taken the case to social media, posting an account of his sister’s ordeal on Twitter on June 26.
