Indonesian Press Council condemns Israeli military interception and arrest of Indonesian journalists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla 2.0
The Indonesian Press Council (Dewan Pers), together with Harian Republika, has issued a strong condemnation of the Israeli military’s interception and arrest of the humanitarian vessel Global Sumud Flotilla 2.0 in international waters. The ship, carrying aid and logistics for Gazan residents, also carried nine Indonesian nationals, including three journalists on assignment.
The three journalists are Bambang Noroyono and Thoudy Badai Rifan Billah of Republika, and Andre Prasetyo Nugroho of Tempo TV. They were part of Global Peace Convoy Indonesia (GPCI), a civil society coalition that departed Marmaris, Turkey, on Thursday (14 May) with 54 ships from 70 countries.
Dewan Pers issued an official statement on Monday evening (18 May) after coordinating with editors-in-chief of related media. The statement asserted that the Israeli military action in international waters, approximately 310 nautical miles from Gaza, constitutes an intolerable violation: ‘Condemning the Israeli military for intercepting and detaining Indonesian journalists along with other civilians in international waters while en route to Gaza, Palestine.’
In addition to condemnation, the Dewan Pers urged the Indonesian Government to promptly deploy diplomatic interventions to secure the safety and release of the journalists and other detainees.
Andi Muhyiddin, Editor-in-Chief of Republika, characterised the interception as criminalisation of humanitarian missions. He emphasised that volunteers and journalists carried no weapons, only medical aid and logistics for Gazans under blockade. ‘This is a serious violation of international law, universal humanitarian principles, and civil liberties worldwide,’ he said. He added that the safety of Bambang Noroyono and Thoudy Badai is a top priority for the editorial team right now.
Andi asserted that the journalists’ presence on the vessel was to voice the humanitarian situation in Palestine to the world. ‘We stand with humanitarian volunteers around the world and reject any form of criminalisation of humanitarian missions in international waters,’ he concluded. (Ndf/I-1)
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