Letters To The World Press

To;

Friends of the Journalist

around the world.

Let me convey a portrait of Indonesian press life intact to journalist colleagues around the world about the poor protection of press freedom in Indonesia.

The main problem that became a frightening specter for the country's press was the rampant criminalization of the press that occurred in various regions of journalistic work, which was carried out by police officers on the recommendation of the Press Council. Criminalization of the press that culminated in the death of a Progress Media journalist in South Kalimantan, the late Muhammad Yusuf has sparked protests in various regions, including our recent action in Jakarta. Criminalization and violence against the press in Indonesia from year to year seems to continue without any anticipation from the government to solve the problem.

Based on records from various press organizations, there are 663 cases of violence against the press that occurred during the last 10 years. In 2008 there were 58 cases of violence, 38 cases in 2009, 51 cases in 2010, 45 cases in 2011, 56 cases in 2012, 40 cases in 2013, 40 cases in 2014, 42 cases in 2015, 81 cases in 2016 and 83 cases in 2017. Of the 663 cases of violence against the press, including physical violence, expulsion and prohibition of coverage, the threat of violence and terror, the destruction of coverage tools, attacks on news agencies, and criminal work against journalism.

The rise of violence and criminalization of the press in Indonesia caused the Press Release Index of Independence Index in Indonesia at world level Reporters Without Borders version of 2018 was only ranked 128th out of 180 countries. Indicators of this threat of freedom of the press is certainly in sync with the facts of violence against journalists in Indonesia who each year to reach the number of cases since the last 5 years.

Of the many cases of violence against the press in Indonesia, almost no one processed using Law No. 40 of 1999 on the Press as a legal reference. Even in general cases of violence against journalists conducted by officials or law enforcement officers only end up apologized by the perpetrator against the victim, and his legal case does not end up in court. In fact, there is also no attempt by the Press Council to join the press for the perpetrators of violence against the press to be liable to sanctions in accordance with the Press Law which there is a penalty of imprisonment and a fine of 500 million rupiah.

The issue that threatens the independence of the press is the policy of the Press Council which carries out media verification and competency test of journalists. Unverified media and journalists who have not or have not followed the UKW will be considered illegal by the Press Council in carrying out its journalistic duties. As evidenced in the various cases of press dispute, the Press Council did not hesitate to issue a recommendation with the consideration that the journalists who became unified have not followed the UKW and the media where the journalist worked has not been verified so that the complained case can be forwarded to the police with the general criminal article.

The policy of the Press Council also threatens the existence and legitimacy of 43,000 unverified mass media. The 43,000 unverified media, in addition to losing legitimacy, are also threatened to be criminalized by the Press Council. Hundreds of thousands of journalists and press workers are in danger of losing their jobs unemployed because about 43,000 printed and electronic media (versions of the Press Council) that have not been verified are threatened by mass councils by the Press Council.

Under these circumstances it is evident that the Press Council "succeeds" in creating a portrait of press freedom in Indonesia in the eyes of the international community at the bottom. The role of press organizations in protecting journalists from the threat of criminalization and violence has been taken away by the Press Council's regulations.

Another phenomenon that threatens the freedom of the press is the criminalization of the press after the enactment of Law No. 19 of 2016 on the Amendment of Law Number 11 Year 2008 on Information and Electronic Transactions should be responded professionally. The articles deemed repressive in the ITE Act, namely article 27 paragraph 3, article 28 paragraph 2, and Article 29 has become a serious conversation among the press country. Because the articles are considered to threaten the freedom of the press. There are several instances of journalistic work reported to the police using the ITE Act has been regarded as an attempt to criminalize journalists.

Since the ITE Act was passed in 2008 various cases that ensnare journalists continue to occur until 2018 post the ITE Act revised in 2016 ago. The insistence that repressive articles in the ITE Law be revoked even more vociferously voiced by a number of figures. But still the problem does not stop.

The following are some examples of cases of press criminalization that occurred in  2017 - 2018 as follows:

1. Media Reporter The Progress of the People The late Muhammad Yusuf was killed in detention of Class II B Classification B of New Town of South Kalimantan after being criminalized for his news about the community in Laut Island, South Kalimantan that was wronged by unscrupulous businessman H. Isam, owner of PT MSAM. .

2. Journalist Jejak News Ismail Novendra who was made a suspect because of the news he wrote about the contractor businessman who has a family relationship with West Sumatra Police Chief, and currently has become a defendant who underwent a trial in Padang State Court on criminal charges of defamation.

3. Journalist Slamet Maulana in Sidoarjo was arrested for alleging prostitution in a karaoke business in Sidoarjo.

4. Daily Newspaper (SKH) of Bolmong was filed by a regent candidate to the Press Council related to the news report of a regent's fortune of 2.2 trillion rupiah quoted from the official website of the State Officials' Assets Report at the Corruption Eradication Commission (Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi). The Press Council made the consideration that the media has not been verified and editorial managers have not joined the UKW thus deciding that the news does not meet the quality standards of journalistic work from both technical and ethical aspects, and the Press Council recommends complainants to report to the police.

5. Fajar Timor media reporter Bonifasius Lerek was made a suspect for writing the news of alleged corruption of a Bupati.

6. Chief Editor of Berantas Daily Torosiduhu Laia was made a suspect by the news.

7. Journalist Marshal Harahap in Simalungun Province of North Sumatra was made a suspect because of the news.

8. Maiksyah journalist in Batam was named a suspect for reporting on allegations of defamation on his account of alleged corruption of a regent in his area.

9. Two journalists in Aceh, Umar Efendi and Mawardi were jailed for proclaiming members of the DPRD who caught together with two young women at a hotel during Friday prayer times.

10. Based on information submitted by Vice Chairman of the House of Representatives Fadli Zon told reporters that there are still 176 cases of watawan who experienced violence, intimidation, even to death as experienced by M Yusuf.

So this open letter I convey to journalist friends around the world to be able to report the press condition in Indonesia in order to pressure our government to pay more attention to the legal protection for the press in Indonesia.

Best regards,

Hence Mandagi,

Chairman of DPP United Press of the Republic of Indonesia