inp.polri.go.id - South Sumatra. The Special Criminal Investigation Directorate of the South Sumatra Regional Police has successfully arrested a man suspected of spreading hate speech and inciting the public through social media. The perpetrator is known as Renaldo Pebrian, a resident of Lorok Pakjo, Palembang.

Renaldo was arrested on Monday (9/1/2025) and then moved to the Cyber ​​Sub-Directorate V of the Special Criminal Investigation Directorate on Tuesday (9/2/2025) for further legal proceedings.

The Director of Special Criminal Investigation of the South Sumatra Regional Police, Senior Superintendent Bagus Surapratomo Octobianto, explained that the suspect was proven to have made provocative posts on a Facebook account named Aldo Irentande.

"From the results of the investigation, the suspect posted approximately seven provocative contents and hate speech, the majority of which were aimed at government institutions and security forces," he said, Tuesday (9/16/2025).

The content spread by Renaldo is considered very dangerous because it was done one day before the riots broke out in Palembang City, which resulted in the burning of vehicles, police posts around Palembang Indah Mall (PIM), the Traffic Directorate office, and an attack on the South Sumatra Regional Police Headquarters.

The police also presented expert witnesses to analyze the content uploaded by the suspect, in order to strengthen the evidence and trace the possibility of a network or other parties involved in spreading the incitement.

As evidence, investigators confiscated a cell phone belonging to the suspect along with a Facebook account containing provocative posts. For his actions, Renaldo was charged under Article 28 Paragraph (2) of Law Number 11 of 2008 concerning Information and Electronic Transactions (ITE), with the threat of a maximum prison sentence of four years or a fine of up to IDR 6 billion.

Bagus emphasized that the police will not tolerate provocation attempts through social media that have the potential to disrupt the stability of security and public order. 

"We urge the public to be wiser in using social media. Do not be easily provoked or participate in spreading information that is not necessarily true, especially information that is inflammatory," he said.

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