Mahfud MD and Usman Hamid File Amicus Curiae, Request Rudi S Kamri's Acquittal
Former Constitutional Court Chief Justice Mahfud MD, Prof. Dr. Sulistyowati Irianto, Amnesty International Indonesia Director Usman Hamid, and 24 others united in the Alliance of Academics, Civil Society, and Advocates for Press Freedom, Expression, and Opinion have filed an amicus curiae brief with the Panel of Judges at the DKI Jakarta High Court regarding the alleged criminalization of Rudi Santoso, better known as Rudi S Kamri (RSK), a social media activist and host of the Kanal Anak Bangsa (KAB) channel.
On 13 January, through verdict number 748/Pid.Sus/2025/PN Jkt Utr, the North Jakarta District Court sentenced RSK to 8 months in prison in a defamation case reported by Fredie Tan related to a podcast titled “Alleged Potential State Losses of Billions of Rupiah at Ancol, Is Budi Karya Involved?” which aired on 20 November 2022 on KAB.
RSK subsequently filed an appeal with the DKI Jakarta High Court, where the case at the appellate level will be handled by a Panel of Judges consisting of Budi Susilo (Presiding Judge), along with Efran Basuning and Hasoloan Sianturi (Members), and Substitute Clerk Budiarto.
An “amicus curiae,” meaning “friend of the court,” is a third party such as an academic, organization, or individual not directly involved in a case who submits a written legal opinion (amicus brief) to the judges. Its purpose is to help the court understand complex issues or broader public interests so that the verdict is more just, although it is not binding.
The contents of the amicus curiae brief, as quoted by media on Saturday, 14 February, are as follows:
In a rule-of-law state, as upheld by Indonesia, the separation of powers through the trias politica principle is intended to establish checks and balances among the executive, legislative, and judiciary, to prevent abuse of power in state governance.
Over time, the trias politica relationship has expanded—in this regard, a free press constitutes the fourth pillar of checks and balances and has its constitutional foundation.
The world of journalism has undergone major changes due to advances in science and digital technology, which have also driven rapid societal transformation. The digital era has enabled various groups within society—such as academics, public intellectuals, activists, and the general public—to participate in gaining legal and political literacy and education.
Today, the media landscape has become highly diverse, no longer limited to conventional television channels and print newspapers. Through digital media, public discussions and conversations can take place. All share the same objective: to voice freedom of expression and opinion within the framework of press freedom.