Iwakum Condemns Hotman Paris: His Statement Degrades the Journalism Profession

The Indonesian Legal Journalists Association (Iwakum) has condemned a statement by advocate Hotman Paris, which it considers degrading to the dignity and profession of journalists. Iwakum is demanding that Hotman Paris issue a public apology. This was conveyed by Iwakum Chairman Irfan Kamil in response to a press conference held by Hotman Paris after accompanying his client, former Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes (Jampidsus) Febrie Adriansyah, a corruption suspect, on Friday (17/7/2026). During the press conference, Hotman Paris allegedly directed the phrase, “Do you even have a brain?” at a journalist who posed a question at the scene. “We strongly condemn and demand that Hotman Paris apologise for his statements which degrade journalists and lead to the suppression of press freedom,” Kamil said in a statement on Sunday (19/7). Kamil highlighted Hotman’s statement attacking the intellectual capacity of the journalist. He assessed that the statement delivered by Hotman Paris was arrogant. “The statement ‘do you even have a brain?’ is not criticism, but an insult to journalists,” Kamil said. Kamil emphasised that a source has the right to refuse to answer, provide clarification, or correct the substance of a question. However, he reminded that it is not right for a source to attack a person’s intellectual capacity instead. “A source may choose not to answer. A source may also refute a journalist’s question. However, no one has the right to respond to a journalistic question with insults and personal attacks,” Kamil stated. “Iwakum knows many advocates who are critical, firm, and possess good argumentation skills, yet still uphold ethics and respect journalistic work. Firmness never requires someone to insult another profession,” he said. Meanwhile, Iwakum Secretary-General Ponco Sulaksono stated that an advocate is an honourable profession, which should prioritise argumentation and respect for other professions. He added that the senior advocate should have set an example. “A senior advocate should set an example in communicating in the public sphere, not display arrogance in front of journalists,” Ponco said. Iwakum also rejected the perception on social media that Hotman’s action was a form of successfully silencing journalists. Ponco assessed that such a narrative is dangerous because it can normalise insults against journalists performing their duties. “There is nothing great about degrading a journalist who is working. That is not a victory of argumentation, but a failure to maintain public communication ethics,” Ponco said. Ponco also addressed Hotman Paris’s statement which dragged President Prabowo Subianto’s name into the press conference. Ponco mentioned that as a figure close to the President, Hotman should have been able to maintain honour. “As a person close to and claiming to be the President’s legal counsel, Hotman Paris should safeguard the President’s dignity, not degrade the people,” he asserted. Ponco stressed that the work of journalists is protected by Law Number 40/1999 on the Press. This is stipulated in Article 4 paragraph (3) of the Press Law, namely “To guarantee press freedom, the national press has the right to seek, obtain, and disseminate ideas and information.” Meanwhile, Article 6 states the role of the press is to fulfil the public’s right to know, uphold the basic values of democracy, encourage the realisation of the rule of law and human rights, as well as respect diversity, develop public opinion based on precise, accurate, and correct information, conduct supervision, criticism, correction, and suggestions on matters relating to the public interest, and fight for justice and truth. Ponco reminded of the legal protection for journalists regulated in Article 8 of the Press Law. Iwakum urged Hotman to issue a public apology to the journalist concerned and the Indonesian press community. Iwakum also requested that the bar association where Hotman is registered investigate the alleged code of ethics violation related to this behaviour. “If left unchecked, such actions could set a bad precedent and encourage officials, law enforcement officers, advocates, and other interested parties to act arbitrarily when facing critical questions from journalists,” he added.