Journalists Protest Being Barred from Covering Central Java Governor's Briefing Following Regent's Arrest

PEKALONGAN — Journalists in Pekalongan Regency, Central Java, have protested access restrictions they encountered whilst attempting to cover a briefing by Central Java Governor Ahmad Luthfi with officials from the Pekalongan District Government on Monday, 9 March 2026. A video of the media obstruction went viral on social media.

Indro, a journalist with Tribun Jateng, was among those affected by the coverage restrictions. He revealed that the governor’s visit to the Secretariat’s Hall at the Pekalongan District Government office had in fact been announced to journalists by the district government.

“I was informed by one of the protocol officials that the Governor was coming. Before that, when the Anti-Corruption Commission (KPK) was conducting a search at the Secretariat office, the Secretary also told me, ‘On Monday the Governor will be here at 1 pm’. The agenda was the presentation of a decree and a briefing,” Indro said in an interview on Monday evening.

The decree referred to by Indro concerned the appointment of Deputy Regent Sukirman as Acting Regent of Pekalongan Regency following the arrest of Fadia Arafiq in a corruption sting operation by the Anti-Corruption Commission. Indro stated that, having received information about the Governor’s visit, all media personnel came to the Secretariat’s Hall of the Pekalongan District Government to cover the event.

Indro recounted that when Luthfi arrived at the lobby of the Secretariat’s Hall, journalists greeted him. As Luthfi walked into the hall, media personnel followed.

“But when we reached the lobby entrance, it was immediately closed by the Civil Service Police. Then there was a delegation from the provincial protocol office,” he said.

Journalists at the location questioned why they were being prevented from entering. They also asked who had ordered the prohibition.

“We’re not allowed to enter. How can corruption issues be covered up?” Indro said.

He added that as tensions escalated, a protocol official from the Central Java Provincial Government arrived. “He was the first to chase off the ‘kids’,” Indro said, referring to his fellow journalists.