Tian Bahtiar deplores charges over production of negative news on corruption cases
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Former TV crew member Tian Bahtiar has deplored the charges of producing negative news related to three corruption cases that have led to him being named a defendant.
According to Bahtiar, the labelling of coverage as “negative news” is highly dangerous to press freedom, as it is not within the Prosecutor’s Office’s remit but rather falls under the Press Council’s authority to assess.
“Meanwhile, the phrase ‘cornering the Prosecutor’s Office’ constitutes a subjective interpretation that endangers law enforcement if used as a basis for criminalising someone,” Bahtiar said whilst reading his defence plea during a hearing at the Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday.
He stated that the news produced by himself and other media involved did not target individual officials at the Prosecutor’s Office and was not based on gossip, such as rumours about luxury watches and other matters.
Bahtiar argued that the allegations amounted to media framing and a smear campaign attacking his personal reputation and that of his former television station.
“All of my previous TV media products were produced based on facts and grounded in statements from credible sources,” he said.
Bahtiar noted that despite being charged with disseminating negative news about three corruption cases, throughout that entire period the Prosecutor’s Office never filed any objections, protests, corrections, or exercised its right of reply regarding the content produced and broadcast.
Bahtiar has been named a defendant in a case of alleged obstruction of justice in three corruption cases, for which he faces a demanded sentence of eight years’ imprisonment.
The alleged acts were purportedly carried out jointly with activist and buzzer team leader Adhiya Muzakki, who faces a demanded sentence of eight years’ imprisonment, whilst lawyer Junaedi Saibih faces a demanded sentence of ten years’ imprisonment.
Beyond custodial sentences, all three defendants also face demands for fines of Rp600 million each, with the provision that should the fines go unpaid, they would be substituted with 150 days’ imprisonment.
The three defendants allegedly created programmes and content aimed at shaping negative public opinion regarding the handling of the three cases.
In the tin case, the three defendants were said to have committed obstruction by devising a defence scheme involving the creation of negative narratives and opinions using social media buzzers to influence the handling of the case.
Meanwhile, in the CPO (crude palm oil) case, the trio were charged with obstruction through non-juridical schemes outside the courtroom aimed at forming negative opinions suggesting that investigators’ handling of the case was improper.