Nazril “Ariel” Irham, seen in this file photo, is refusing to admit to any wrongdoing in the Peterporn sex scandal, but innocent or guilty, several groups want to see him punished for his actions.
Although police have arrested the man they said was responsible for releasing Nazril “Ariel” Irham’s sex videos on the Internet, that hasn’t stopped critics from heaping even more scorn on the jailed pop star.
The chairman of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) said on Sunday that the Peterpan frontman should make a public apology to the country’s children, millions of whom were among his fans.
“We’ve received too many complaints from parents across the country and there are many reports of rape and sexual abuse involving children, both as perpetrators and victims, following the spread of the sex videos,” KPAI chairman Hadi Supeno said.
He added that surveys showed that Ariel and his band had at least 30 million young fans. However, there have been no documented cases of sexual abuse crimes against minors involving copycat sex videos.
“He should have said, ‘Kids, I’ve done wrong, I’m truly sorry and I sincerely wish none of you will do what I’ve done because it’s not a good thing,’ ” Hadi said.
He did, however, throw Ariel a bone by acknowledging that the KPAI has been criticized for being overly aggressive in seeking an apology from the singer.
Ariel has firmly maintained throughout his ordeal that he should not be held solely responsible for the spread of the videos, in which he allegedly had sex with TV personalities Luna Maya and Cut Tari.
“Dear sirs, madams, do not put the blame solely on to me. Blame those who spread the videos and promoted them,” said Ariel as quoted by Hadi after he visited him in jail. Ariel was arrested last month on charges of violating the Anti-Pornography Law.
Police said on Friday that the videos were taken from Ariel’s stolen laptop and were believed to have been uploaded to the Internet by the band’s music editor, identified as RJ.
Hadi added that Ariel’s apology could also calm enraged hardliners who have threatened to act “independently” if the case did not come to an immediate and “satisfactory” conclusion.
“We are not encouraging violent acts, but if Ariel doesn’t apologize soon, violence is very likely to happen,” he said.
Hard-line groups from Ariel’s hometown of Bandung have demanded that the city revoke Ariel’s ID card (KTP). The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), known for carrying out violent raids on nightclubs for “not respecting the holy month of Ramadan,” and the Islamic Front Congregation (FUI) have also called on the local government to ban Ariel from returning to his hometown.
Life can be very difficult for Indonesians without ID cards. Their ability to work, open bank accounts or secure official documentation is severely curtailed.
“We demand the Bandung mayor and the local legislative council cancel Ariel’s ID card,” Muhammad Anshori, deputy head of FPI’s Bandung branch, was quoted by Antara as saying. “He has destroyed the nation’s moral values with his pornographic videos.”
Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi, however, has dismissed the calls, pointing out that there is no law in the country that permits such a revocation.
“The ID card is the right of every Indonesian citizen. It applies to everyone and every Indonesian needs it,” Gamawan said.
“It should not go further than that, particularly by canceling out an ID card.”
Although police have arrested the man they said was responsible for releasing Nazril “Ariel” Irham’s sex videos on the Internet, that hasn’t stopped critics from heaping even more scorn on the jailed pop star.
The chairman of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) said on Sunday that the Peterpan frontman should make a public apology to the country’s children, millions of whom were among his fans.
“We’ve received too many complaints from parents across the country and there are many reports of rape and sexual abuse involving children, both as perpetrators and victims, following the spread of the sex videos,” KPAI chairman Hadi Supeno said.
He added that surveys showed that Ariel and his band had at least 30 million young fans. However, there have been no documented cases of sexual abuse crimes against minors involving copycat sex videos.
“He should have said, ‘Kids, I’ve done wrong, I’m truly sorry and I sincerely wish none of you will do what I’ve done because it’s not a good thing,’ ” Hadi said.
He did, however, throw Ariel a bone by acknowledging that the KPAI has been criticized for being overly aggressive in seeking an apology from the singer.
Ariel has firmly maintained throughout his ordeal that he should not be held solely responsible for the spread of the videos, in which he allegedly had sex with TV personalities Luna Maya and Cut Tari.
“Dear sirs, madams, do not put the blame solely on to me. Blame those who spread the videos and promoted them,” said Ariel as quoted by Hadi after he visited him in jail. Ariel was arrested last month on charges of violating the Anti-Pornography Law.
Police said on Friday that the videos were taken from Ariel’s stolen laptop and were believed to have been uploaded to the Internet by the band’s music editor, identified as RJ.
Hadi added that Ariel’s apology could also calm enraged hardliners who have threatened to act “independently” if the case did not come to an immediate and “satisfactory” conclusion.
“We are not encouraging violent acts, but if Ariel doesn’t apologize soon, violence is very likely to happen,” he said.
Hard-line groups from Ariel’s hometown of Bandung have demanded that the city revoke Ariel’s ID card (KTP). The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), known for carrying out violent raids on nightclubs for “not respecting the holy month of Ramadan,” and the Islamic Front Congregation (FUI) have also called on the local government to ban Ariel from returning to his hometown.
Life can be very difficult for Indonesians without ID cards. Their ability to work, open bank accounts or secure official documentation is severely curtailed.
“We demand the Bandung mayor and the local legislative council cancel Ariel’s ID card,” Muhammad Anshori, deputy head of FPI’s Bandung branch, was quoted by Antara as saying. “He has destroyed the nation’s moral values with his pornographic videos.”
Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi, however, has dismissed the calls, pointing out that there is no law in the country that permits such a revocation.
“The ID card is the right of every Indonesian citizen. It applies to everyone and every Indonesian needs it,” Gamawan said.
“It should not go further than that, particularly by canceling out an ID card.”
