APSN | Arrests, restrictions still a problem as Indonesia's press freedom worsens

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Arrests, restrictions still a problem as Indonesia's press freedom worsens

Jakarta Globe - April 21, 2016

KPI wants power to issue fines for immoral content – Jakarta Post. March 10, 2016
Press freedom still under threat this year – Jakarta Post. January 8, 2016
Police the biggest threat to journalists in 2015 – Jakarta Globe. December 22, 2015
One year on, challenges remain for press in Indonesia – Committee to Protect Journalists. December 21, 2015
British journalists freed from Indonesian jail say UK treated them like criminals – The Guardian. November 11, 2015

Jakarta – Indonesia is ranked 130th out of 180 countries in the 2016 World Press Freedom Index surveyed by Paris-based international media freedom organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

The index, released on Wednesday (20/04), indicates that media freedom in Indonesia is getting worse with the intensity of attacks on freedom and independence of the press rising from a rate of 40.75 last year to 41.72.

Indonesia ranks above Thailand which has a press attack rating of 44.75 and is ranked 136th, Malaysia, 46.75 and 146th, and Singapore, 52.95 and 154th.

In the report, RSF noted that the Indonesian government under the leadership of President Joko Widodo has continued serious media freedom violations, including blocking access to West Papua, which it describes as "an information black hole."

"Journalists and fixers trying to work there are liable to be arrested. The problem is compounded by Indonesia's visa laws, which discriminates against foreign journalists," the report states.

The report also notes that at the same time, many poorly paid journalists accept bribes in return for positive coverage.

Finland still tops the world with a press attack ranking of just 8.59, which it has had for the past five consecutive years, followed by the Netherlands, 8.76 and Norway, 8.79 in third position.

The index also showed that Europe remains to be the freest continent for journalists to work in with an average score of 19.8, followed by Africa at a distant second on 36.9.

North America – a region where violence against journalists is on the rise – recorded a press attack rating of 37.1, so dropped from second to third place this year.

The regions of Asia and Eastern Europe/Central Asia follow with index scores of 43.8 and 48.4 respectively. Meanwhile, North Africa/Middle East is still the region where journalists are most subjected to constraints of every kind with a score of 50.8.

Published annually since 2002, RSF's World Press Freedom Index has been an important advocacy tool based on the principle of emulation between nations.

The data is compiled by means of a questionnaire in 20 languages completed by experts all over the world. This qualitative analysis is combined with quantitative data on abuses and acts of violence against journalists during the period evaluated.

Source: http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/arrests-restrictions-still-problem-indonesias-press-freedom-worsens/.