APSN | LBH Pers calls for transparent, fair assessment in hoax eradication plan

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LBH Pers calls for transparent, fair assessment in hoax eradication plan

Jakarta Post - December 31, 2016

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Fachrul Sidiq, Jakarta – The Legal Aid Institute for the Press (LBH Pers) has called on the government to be fair and transparent when attempting to combat the spread of false news.

LBH Pers executive director Nawawi Bahrudin said that the method and criteria should be made transparent to the public. He added that sufficient evidence was needed to ensure that the government's crackdown would not breach press freedom and the freedom of expression.

"The government should make the assessments fair and transparent. The Press Council should also be involved in the process," he told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

The government previously declared a war against the spread of false news that it considers to be haunting the country. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has repeatedly expressed anxiety over the disinformation on social media, including about the latest false news claiming an influx of millions of Chinese workers into Indonesia that had circulated widely in many online media outlets.

"The government should bring a case to court and not immediately shut down the media that has allegedly spread fake news," Nawawi said. (jun)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/12/30/lbh-pers-calls-for-transparent-fair-assessment-in-hoax-eradication-plan.html.