JAKARTA, LITERASIHUKUM.COM – The first hearing of the application for Case Review (PK) submitted by the convicted defamation, Silfester Matutina, was forced to be postponed by the South Jakarta District Court. This postponement was due to Silfester's absence as the applicant due to illness. The hearing, which was originally scheduled for Wednesday (20/8/2025), was rescheduled by the panel of judges to be held on Wednesday next week, August 27, 2025. The Public Relations Officer of the South Jakarta District Court, Rio Barten, explained that Silfester's legal counsel had submitted a doctor's certificate stating that his client was suffering from chest pain and needed to rest for five days.

Obligation of the Case Review Applicant to Attend in Person

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Rio Barten emphasized that the applicant's presence at the Case Review hearing is a formal requirement that cannot be ignored. This refers to the Supreme Court Circular (SEMA) Number 1 of 2012, which requires Case Review applicants to be present in person at the hearing. "It is different if the person concerned is already in a correctional institution so it can be done by his legal counsel. So, in this case, the applicant must be present in person at the hearing," Rio told reporters on Wednesday (20/8/2025). The panel of judges decided to postpone the hearing because the attendance requirements for the applicant were not met. "In accordance with the provisions that the PK application must be attended in person, if it is not attended in person, it does not meet the requirements," he added.

Case Background

Silfester Matutina was found guilty in the defamation case against former Vice President Jusuf Kalla (JK) based on a report made by JK's son, Solihin Kalla, in 2017. This case originated from Silfester's speech accusing JK of using SARA issues in the Jakarta gubernatorial election. At the cassation level, the Supreme Court increased his sentence to 1 year and 6 months in prison. However, until now the decision has not been executed, and Silfester has instead filed an extraordinary legal remedy in the form of a PK.