Press Council protests

Press Council protests

From Rakyat Merdeka

Hereby the Press Council deeply regrets and strongly protests
the brutal actions by a group of people who beat up and tortured
six journalists in Tegal, Central Java, while they were carrying
out their journalistic tasks, which are completely protected by
the 1945 Constitution and Law No. 40/1999 on the press. The Press
Council demands that the law enforcers investigate the case and
take measures against the perpetrators, because such maltreatment
is extremely inhumane in nature and a violation of human rights.

The violation of the law is more serious because Law No.
40/1999 resolutely stipulates that press freedom is secured and
that the national press reserves the right to seek, obtain and
forward ideas and information according to paragraph 4, articles
1 and 3. Further, paragraph 6 of the Press Law stipulates that
the press' role is to strive to fulfill the people's right to
know.

Please bear in mind that paragraph 18, article 1 of the Press
Law stipulates that those that deliberately hinder a journalist's
task in seeking, obtaining and forwarding ideas or information
render themselves liable to a maximum of two years imprisonment
or a maximum fine of Rp 500 million.

Considering that mass actions, in the form of "taking the law
into their own hands", against reporters and press institutions
are on the increase, hereby the security apparatus is again urged
to take proper measures against the perpetrators. The people are
also called on to control themselves and not to act against the
press. On the other hand, we plead with journalists to stick to
the code of ethics in performing their journalistic duties.

RH SIREGAR

Deputy Chairman of the Press Council

Jakarta