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Indonesian Online Poker Players Charged With Seven Months In Prison

Written By: PokerNet.com | August 10, 2012 | Posted In Poker News

Poker players from Jakarta, Indonesia have been charged for playing online poker using Facebook. These 11 players are facing up to seven months behind bars for playing the said online game, which is considered illegal in many countries all over the world.

Online chips were transferred when the crime was committed Chips are considered “virtual cash” for online poker. Real money poker has not been permitted in Indonesia when the crime was committed. Seven of the 11 players were identified as Kesuma Wijaya Sidaruk, M Nasir, E Man, Hendry, Haris Pratama Putra, A Seng, and M Zulfikar. The other four arrested acted as operators and transferred all of the chips. They were Edi aka Awi, an internet shop cashier; Bun Seng aka A Seng; Herwin aka A Cong; and Deni Anggriawan.

Prosecutors cited them with violating Article 303 of the Criminal Code. Juliana Tarihoran, said that the the players were involved in gambling and that violated the law, which will put them in jail for seven months. Tarihoran also claimed that the players purchased the chips from the cashier before playing online poker on Facebook.

The accused asked for lesser sanctions, which prompted the Judge Agus Setiawan, presiding judge, to suggest that they were indeed guilty of committing such crime because a request like that is only characteristic of guilt. He said, “Every one is asking for leniency and no one has asked for an acquittal. If you ask for leniency, this either proves you admit your wrongdoing, or are admitting you are guilty. Those who feel innocent raise your hands.” The judge also warned the accused not to commit the crime again.

Facebook had recently launched their real-money online poker games this week, but this was exclusively available for those living in the UK. They have not issued any statement when they would be launching the game for other countries.

 

 

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