Ministry of HAM: Prabowo Provides Space for Press Freedom, No Need to Doubt

JAKARTA - Special Staff to the Minister of Human Rights Thomas Harming Suwarta explained that President Prabowo Subianto protects press freedom. “The government of President Prabowo, which provides important space for human rights development, automatically provides space for press freedom. This does not need to be doubted anymore,” said Thomas in Jakarta, as reported by ANTARA on Sunday (10/5/2026). Thomas spoke while participating in a fun walk with media practitioners and the public to commemorate World Press Freedom Day 2026 in Jakarta. “Press freedom is truly a human right, therefore, we together—both the government and society—must continue to encourage a free, independent press ecosystem that remains the voice of public interests; and of course, also encourage the advancement of human rights and democracy in Indonesia,” said Thomas. Thomas stated that the state is obliged to ensure respect, protection, enforcement, advancement, and fulfilment of press rights. In that situation, according to him, the press media must ensure quality improvement. “Mainstream media that have long worked with strict journalistic standards we hope will continue to grow with improving quality. The emergence of many new forms of media, which we cannot avoid, becomes a driver for our press to continue improving quality,” he explained. Free, healthy, and quality press media will grow in a human rights-respecting ecosystem. “If our human rights are getting better, then automatically our press freedom will also get better,” he said. “Mainstreaming human rights in Indonesia requires the involvement of journalists and the press media. The Ministry of Human Rights opens that space widely. In the near future, we will hold a special human rights class for journalists. Besides helping human rights literacy for journalists, it is also in the framework of ensuring the protection of human rights for journalists,” Thomas stated. Meanwhile, Press Council Chairman Komaruddin Hidayat said that the fun walk activity with press colleagues becomes a momentum to strengthen the commitment to upholding journalistic principles. “This fun walk with press colleagues together with the Press Council, for us, provides an atmosphere of warmth, closeness, and also a commitment that the press is increasingly existent in upholding press principles, objectivity, professionalism, and also ethics,” said Komaruddin.