JAKARTA — Indonesian police fired tear gas and water cannon at supporters of a hardline Muslim cleric jailed Thursday for spreading false information about Covid-19 after he held rallies that drew thousands.
Rizieq Shihab, 55, was handed a four-year jail term for claiming in a viral video that he was healthy, despite knowing that test results showed he may have been infected with the virus.
Thousands rallied outside the courthouse in Jakarta in support of the cleric, whose influential Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) was banned earlier this year.
Police said they had arrested more than 150 demonstrators ahead of the sentencing.
Thursday’s ruling comes after the sa…
Keep on reading: Clashes as Indonesia jails hardline cleric over virus lies