JP/4/RIGHTS

JP/4/RIGHTS

Authorities jeopardize freedom of expression: Watchdog

The Jakarta Post
Jakarta

Hope for freedom of expression for Indonesians after the fall of
former dictator Soeharto has been jeopardized by authorities who
continue sending their critics to jail, a human rights group
says.

The New York-based Human Rights Watch, which
dedicates itself to protecting the rights of people around the
world, also said in its report on Wednesday that Indonesia's
courts had failed to protect the basic rights of its citizens and
were not immune to political interference.

Examining various cases that took place following the downfall
of Soeharto's regime in 1998, the Human Rights Watch called for
the release of people detained for expressing their non-violent
political views at peaceful protests.

Some students in Solo, East Java, had been jailed for
trampling on President Megawati Soekarnoputri's pictures during
antigovernment protests; while in Jakarta, several student
activists are being tried for holding peaceful antigovernment
protests without informing police authorities as required by law.

The organization urged the government and lawmakers to repeal
Articles 134, 136 and 137 of the country's Criminal Code that
criminalize insulting the president or vice president and "anyone
who disseminates, demonstrates openly or puts up a writing or
portrait containing an insult against the president or vice
president".

It also called on the government to repeal Articles 154, 155
and 157 of the Criminal Code, which criminalize "public
expression of feelings of hostility, hatred, or contempt toward
the government", and prohibiting the expression of such feelings
or views through the public media.

"The articles also violate the spirit of Indonesia's
Constitution, which grants the freedom of expression," the
organization said, referring to Article 28 of the 1945
Constitution.

In its 23-page report, the Human Rights Watch highlighted
several cases implicating students, common people and news
seekers who opposed the government's decisions which, in their
opinion, were unpopular.

The rights watchdog conducted research from July 2002 through
February 2003 when numerous arrests of political activists took
place in Jakarta, including the case of Nanang, a 20-year-old
street vendor, and Muzakkir, a 21-year-old street musician, who
appear to have been the first to be convicted for insulting
President Megawati.

It further said that restriction of freedom of expression in
Indonesia was also faced by the press. Last February, two editors
of the Rakyat Merdeka daily were summoned by police over a story
which allegedly insulted the president.

The systematic arrests of demonstrators appear to have been
prompted by a statement President Megawati made on July 8, 2002,
when she publicly condemned those who voiced opposition to the
government.

Megawati was reported as saying that symbols of the country
had to be respected and that if she met demonstrators who did not
respect those symbols, she would ask them to chose another
nationality.

"After these statements were made, arrests of demonstrators
insulting President Megawati increased significantly," the report
said.