Govt Blocks Human Organs Illegal Trading Websites, Forums

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Communication and Informatics Ministry (Kominfo) as of Thursday, January 12, had blocked and cut access to seven websites and five social media groups that contain content related to the illegal trading of human organs. 

Kominfo director general of informatics application Semuel A. Pangerapan said the crackdown came after a formal request was submitted by the National Police criminal investigation unit (Bareskrim) on the same day. 

“The request asked Kominfo to cut the access of the seven websites that contain the data manipulation,” he explained in a press release on Friday, January 13. 

Prior to the police request, the Ministry had observed multiple Facebook groups with human organ trafficking contents, which was also reported to the Police Bareskrim cyber police. The websites, according to Kominfo, are based overseas. 

The websites are found to be in violation of Article 192 jo Article 64(3) of the Health Law which oversees criminal repercussions for individuals who intentionally trade human organs under any circumstances. People who are found guilty face a hefty charge of 10-year imprisonment and an Rp1 billion fine. 

Human organs illegall trading came to light following a tragic case that saw two teenagers kidnapping and committing murder in Makassar, South Sulawesi. One of the suspects admitted to being obsessed and tempted to earn large sums of money after seeing content on foreign websites related to the sale of human organs. The two suspects, identified as AD and MF, then kidnapped and murdered a 10-year-old child that they knew.

MARIA FRANSISCA LAHUR 

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