ITE Law Criminalization Cases Incriminating Journalists

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The existance of Law Number 11/2008 on information and electronic transaction, or ITE Law, failed to solve problems in the digital realm, such as hoaxes, cybercrimes, etc. In the implementation, it is often used to criminalize certain groups.

A journalist from Palopo, South Sulawesi, Muhammad Asrul was one of the recent victims. He was sentenced to 3 months in jail for defamation after publishing news about an alleged corruption by Palopo officials. 

To date, the people incriminated by the ITE Law are uncountable, ranging from activists to journalists. Quoted from different sources, the following is the list of journalists that became the victims of the law:

1. Dandhy Dwi Laksono

The Watchdoc journalist was criminalized in 2019 for his tweet concerning the political situation in Wamena and Jayapura, as reported by Tempo.co. Dandy Dwi Laksono was charged for hate speech against an individual or a group.

2. Gencar Jarot

The journalist as well as the owner of koranindo.online in Parigi Moutong, Central Sulawesi, was named as suspect following a report from Anuntaloko Parigi Hospital Director, Nurlela Harate on April 2019. Jarot was reported to police after publishing an article about the hospital's policy that resulted in a patient's death in January 2019.

3.  Fadli Aksar and Wiwid Abid Abadi

The journalists from detiksultra.com and okesultra.com respectively, reported an alleged maladministration and forgery on the 2019 Legislative Election in Southeast Sulawesi. Both have found evidence against candidate from National Mandate Party (PAN) Andri Wahyu and were reported to the police under the ITE Law. Their case was brought to Press Council after journalists staged a rally to protest the police report.

Read: Govt Releases Handbook on ITE Law Implementation

BANGKIT ADHI WIGUNA | Graven (Intern)