Court ruling on Playboy a threat to press freedom

Todung Mulya Lubis

Leading free speech attorney Todung Mulya Lubis warned Tuesday that press freedom is in peril following a Supreme Court ruling that found Playboy Indonesia guilty of indecency despite the relatively mild nature of the publication's content.

"One fundamental flaw of the court ruling is that it shoved aside the Press Law and instead used the penal code to prosecute the Playboy Indonesia editor," Todung told a media conference.

"If it happened to Erwin Arnada, it could happen to anyone," said the lawyer, referring to his client.

Erwin began his two-year jail term on Saturday after the Supreme Court overturned the 2007 South Jakarta district court's not-guilty verdict, saying the the magazine contained "soft pornography" for which the editor should be held responsible.

"It's only a matter of time before other editors will be prosecuted on criminal charges," he said.

Earlier Tuesday, Todung filed for a case review with the Supreme Court on behalf of his client.

"We need your support to get this case heard and settled as soon as possible," Todung said in the conference attended by editors of major publications and TV networks.

The Press Council, supporting Erwin's case, said the number of cases of criminalization of the press had been rising in recent years.

Todung said the long years of struggle by journalists to make sure that courts used the 1999 Press Law instead of the penal code had now been undermined.

"This is not only about defending Erwin. This is about defending press freedom," Todung said.

He also requested major news outlets in Indonesia and the world give their support by signing a memorandum of "friends of the court" he plans to circulate.