Burnham Defends Himself Over Support for Russell Brand: 'I Didn't Know Everything'
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- Perdana Menteri Andy Burnham menegaskan Russell Brand telah dihukum setimpal atas kejahatan seksual yang dilakukannya, sambil menjelaskan hubungan Partai Buruh dengan komedian itu.
- Burnham mengaku tidak mengetahui secara pasti kasus yang menjerat Brand saat mendukungnya pada 2014, dan menilai pengungkapan kasus ini sebagai kemenangan keadilan bagi korban.
- Brand dinyatakan bersalah atas satu tuduhan pemerkosaan dan tiga tuduhan kekerasan seksual, dan akan menjalani hukuman pada Senin (23/9) setelah ditahan akhir pekan ini.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has finally spoken out about his ties to Russell Brand after the comedian was found guilty of rape and sexual assault. In a statement on Friday (20/9), Burnham stressed that Brand had been “rightly punished” for crimes he called “horrific”, while trying to explain why the Labour Party had once associated with Brand more than a decade ago.
Brand, 51, was found guilty by the court of one charge of rape and three charges of sexual assault. He was cleared of two other rape charges and one charge of attempted indecent assault. During the four-week trial, six women gave testimony about incidents that occurred between 1999 and 2009. The judge denied bail, so Brand must spend the weekend in custody before the sentencing hearing on Monday (23/9).
Burnham's involvement in the case stems from an old post he made in 2014, when he was still serving as shadow health secretary. At the time, Burnham posted support for Brand after media reports accused the comedian of paying rent on a property owned by a landlord in a tax haven, while on the other hand he campaigned vigorously against tax avoidance. Burnham at the time called the media's effort to discredit Brand “pathetic” and urged Brand to “keep going”.
At a press conference, Burnham admitted he did not fully know what was later revealed in court. “What I can say is that I did not know the extent of his actions or what he later did,” he said. He added, “We don't always know everything about people in public life, but the most important thing is that when there is wrongdoing, it is exposed.”
Burnham also highlighted the media's role in exposing the case. “Huge credit to the victims for their courage, and also to the journalists who exposed it,” said the Labour politician. He stressed that justice for the victims was the right path.
This is not the first time a politician has been dragged into a celebrity scandal. Previously, in 2015, the then Labour leader Ed Miliband was interviewed by Brand ahead of the general election. The Labour Party's relationship with Brand had indeed been warm before the police investigation began. However, for Burnham, political support in the past does not necessarily mean he knew about someone's dark behavior.
In Indonesia, a similar case is a valuable lesson about the importance of transparency and accountability for public figures. Political support for celebrities or popular figures needs to be accompanied by vigilance about their track record and behavior. Civil society and the media play a key role in uncovering the truth, as happened in the Brand case. Firm law enforcement against sexual crimes is also a mirror for Indonesia to continue strengthening victim protection.
“His crimes were horrific, he has been rightly punished, justice for the victims, and that is the right path that has been taken,” Burnham stressed.
With the verdict to be handed down early next week, the British public is waiting to see how heavy a sentence Brand will receive. This case is also a test for the Labour Party in maintaining integrity amid public scrutiny. Will political parties in various countries, including Indonesia, be more careful in associating with public figures in the future?
