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Civil society: Stop criminalizing the media

Jakarta Post - December 13, 2014

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Amnesty calls on Indonesia to stop jailing people for 'blasphemy' – Jakarta Globe. November 21, 2014
Amnesty criticizes SBY over surge in blasphemy convictions – Jakarta Post. November 21, 2014
Constitutional Court rejects blasphemy review request - Jakarta Post. September 20, 2013
Man gets 5 years for insulting Islam on Facebook - Jakarta Post. January 23, 2013

Jakarta – A number of civil society groups have warned the nation about the dangers of criminalizing the press, saying the practice could be used by the state as a tool to silence persons espousing views it disliked.

Fajar Riza Ul Haq, executive director of the MAARIF Institute for Culture and Humanity, expressed the institute's concern about the announcement by the National Police that it would charge The Jakarta Post's editor-in-chief Meidyatama Suryodiningrat for the crime of blasphemy following the Post's July 3 publication of a political cartoon caricaturizing the Islamic State (IS) movement also known as ISIS.

"The police should take into account the Press Council's view on this case. Moreover, alleged blasphemy cases are extremely vulnerable to exploitation by [those with] political motives, which often exploit issues of SARA [tribal affiliations, religion, race and societal groups]," Fajar said in a statement.

"We must learn from similar cases, like what recently happened in Pakistan. The state needs to be very cautious in handling blasphemy complaints. It could become a dangerous political tool if there is no clear standard or public control," said Fajar, a member of Muhammadiyah, the nation's second-largest Muslim organization.

Meanwhile, the Association of Journalists for Diversity (SEJUK), the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), the Press Legal Aid Institute (LBH Pers) and human rights watchdog the SETARA Institute said the police acted carelessly in naming Meidyatama a suspect of blasphemy, citing Article 156 of the Criminal Code.

"The content of Article 156 has created many problems because it often sends individuals with a different opinion to prison," Andy Budiman from SEJUK said in a statement on Friday.

The Jakarta Preachers Corps (KMJ) filed a complaint with the National Police in July accusing the Post of blasphemy for publishing a caricature criticizing violence conducted by IS.

According to the Jakarta Police, Meidyatama could face a maximum prison sentence of five years if found guilty of publicly displaying hostility, hatred or contempt toward a group in Indonesia.

The government has officially banned IS for its acts of mass murder and other atrocities in Syria and Iraq. "ISIS has committed brutal murders in the name of Islam. ISIS does not represent Islam, which is rahmatan lil alamin [grace to all people]," SEJUK said.

Meanwhile, AJI chairman Suwarjono said "the cartoon was published to warn the public about the dangers of radical organizations, including [how they threaten] freedom of expression."

"The police failed in recognizing the 1999 Press Law as the solution to settling conflict with media," nine representatives of LBH Pers said in the statement sent to the Post.

Press Council member Nezar Patria said the council had concluded in July that the Post's decision to publish the caricature was insensitive, but did not amount to a criminal act.

Meanwhile, SETARA Institute chairman Hendardi said the Post's case was likely politically motivated. "It [the blasphemy charge] is more like a political product to maintain social and political stability, but it's going about it the wrong way," Hendardi said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/13/civil-society-stop-criminalizing-media.html.