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End violence against journalists: Activists
NGOs and journalists have drawn up a joint petition demanding the government declare August 16 as anti-violence against journalists day
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GOs and journalists have drawn up a joint petition demanding the government declare August 16 as anti-violence against journalists day.
Pito Agustin Rudiana of Yogyakarta's chapter of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) said that Indonesia had been black-listed in terms of journalist protection.
'Since 1996, there have been at least 12 journalists murdered,' she said after reading out the petition at the grave of murdered journalist Fuad Muhammad Syafruddin, also known as Udin, on Saturday, commemorating 18 years since Udin's murder.
She said the petition would be handed over to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Social Affairs Minister Salim Segaf Aljufri, Press Council chairman Bagir Manan and the president-elect.
The petition also demanded that the date of Udin's murder be included in the national calendar as the day to honor the press and to confirm the campaign of opposition to violence against journalists.
'We want the date set as the anti-violence against journalists day because Udin's murder drew attention both domestically and internationally,' Pito said.
In a related development, AJI Indonesia has expressed opposition to the expiry of Udin's murder case after 18 years, arguing that as no new suspect had been named then no expiry date could be set for the case.
Udin was beaten by an unidentified person at his home in Bantul regency, Yogyakarta, on August 13, 1996 and died three days later at the Yogyakarta Bethesda Hospital without regaining consciousness.
According to AJI Indonesia's secretary Suwarjono, Article 78 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) stipulates that an unresolved case will be considered expired after 18 years and thus Udin's case would have expired on Saturday.
'But, we say no to that and want the police to continue investigating the case seriously and thoroughly,' Suwarjono told a press conference in Padang, West Sumatra over the weekend.
Quoting Supreme Court judge Artidjo Alkostar, Suwarjono said that there was no expiry date for Udin's murder case because no new suspect had ever been named by the police after suspect Dwi Sumadji, alias Iwik, had been acquitted by Bantul district court due to lack of evidence.
He said the police's investigation resulting in Iwik being named a suspect was not thorough and as such the conditions as required by Article 78 of the Criminal Code were not met. 'The police have to reinvestigate the case from the beginning and do it thoroughly,' Suwarjono said.
He also said the AJI had on several occasions met with senior police officers to demand a thorough investigation into the case. However, there was no indication that the case would be reopened.
'The case sets a bad precedent for press freedom in Indonesia,' he said.
He added that the AJI was sure that Udin was murdered because of his stories that criticized the regency administration of Bantul, where he was assigned. If the case was closed or not investigated thoroughly, it could have a serious impact on journalists' safety in the field.
'People will simply say that the police will do nothing if a journalist is persecuted,' Suwarjono said.
