SAFEnet Annual Report Reveals Convictions Against Journalists, Activists

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The annual report by the Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet) shows that the conviction against the right to freedom of expression remained high in 2019 with the highest being convictions of journalists and activists. 

The SAFEnet report on Wednesday, October 21, states that the media and journalists rank at the top with 8 cases consisting of one media and seven journalists that have been victimized. The report also reveals that for the past two years, the convicted journalists and media tend to be higher compared to previous years. 

On average, journalists are charged with the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law or UU ITE under Article 27 (3) and Article 28 (2). 

Convictions have also taken place on information and contents that were announced or delivered by journalists on media. One of which is a journalist and film director of "Watchdoc", Dandhy Laksono, on September 23, 2019. 

The second most convicted position is activist with 5 cases in 2019 compared to the previous year which only recorded one conviction. This happened to musician and activist Ananda Badudu who was briefly detained by the police due to the fundraising at the KitaBisa platform to support the students' protests against the KPK criminal code revision. 

Another case of activist conviction happened to former Legal Aid Institute advocate Veronica Koman, who had three of her Tweets regarding racism incidents at Papuan students' dorm in Surabaya deemed provocative. 

Read: Anti-Omnibus Law Protest; AJI Says 28 Journalists Faced Police Intimidation

FIKRI ARIGI