Legislators question revisions to Criminal Code

Legislators question revisions to Criminal Code

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Some members of the House of Representatives have expressed
opposition to articles in the draft revision of the Criminal Code
that could threaten press freedom.

They said they would challenge the government-sponsored draft,
which will soon be opened for deliberation in the House.

"We will oppose any stipulations that are detrimental to press
freedom. We will ensure press freedom," Theo L. Sambuaga,
chairman of House Commission I for information, told The Jakarta
Post recently.

Legislators Soeripto of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and
Amris Fuad Hasan of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
(PDI-P) said press freedom had to be protected to help promote
democracy in the country.

The draft of the new Criminal Code contains at least 49
articles that critics say endanger hard-earned press freedom in
the country by allowing the criminalization of the press.

The draft stipulates harsh penalties for journalists and
others in the media business for certain offenses. The
dissemination of information that undermines the state ideology
Pancasila, for example, could be punished by up to 15 years in
jail.

Journalists could also face fines of up to Rp 3 billion
(US$326,000) for some offenses.

According to the draft, journalists could be punished for
offending the president or vice president, the heads of state of
neighboring countries and state bodies, races or groups, and
religious groups.

"In the democratic era, it would be a setback if we maintained
these stipulations that threaten press freedom," Theo said.

Amris said that if anyone considered a news story to be
libelous, he or she should bring the case to the Press Council.

Soeripto said disputes involving the media should be settled
through the Press Council, not the criminal courts.

However, he said for this to happen would require maturity on
both the part of the public and the media.

Maturity will help people accept settlements through the Press
Council, and will help the media improve the quality of its
reporting, he said.