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Criticizing the government is not hate speech: Police chief
Signs express opposition to a circular on hate speech issued by National Police chief Gen
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Signs express opposition to a circular on hate speech issued by National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti at Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) headquarters on Nov. 11. It is feared that the circular, issued in October, will open the door to persecution of individuals for their opinions and restrict freedom of expression. (Antara/Rosa Panggabean) (Kontras) headquarters on Nov. 11. It is feared that the circular, issued in October, will open the door to persecution of individuals for their opinions and restrict freedom of expression. (Antara/Rosa Panggabean)
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span class="caption">Signs express opposition to a circular on hate speech issued by National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti at Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) headquarters on Nov. 11. It is feared that the circular, issued in October, will open the door to persecution of individuals for their opinions and restrict freedom of expression. (Antara/Rosa Panggabean)
Critic directed toward the government is not considered hate speech, National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti said on Tuesday, shedding some light on concerns over the limiting of people's freedom of speech.
He said that the circular he issued in October on hate speech was a move to regulate people so that they cannot easily provoke others in terms of ethnicity, religion and race.
"Critic delivered [against the government] is not included in hate speech. If the critics corner a certain religion or ethnicity, then it is hate speech," he said as quoted by state news agency Antara on Tuesday.
Hate speech that instigated libel, insult, provocation and the spread of false news is considered a crime according to the criminal code (KUHP), he continued.
Human rights activists had slammed Badrodin for issuing the circular over fears that it would be used by the police to restrict the people's freedom to express their own opinion, including being critical of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's government.
Suwarjono, the chairman of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) said earlier this month that AJI urged police to take legal action against people who spread hate speech without violating the citizens' right to freedom of expression.
Badrodin denied that, saying that the circular served as a guideline for his officers to work on a hate speech case as well for people to be more careful in stating their opinions directly or through social media.
The recent example of a hate speech case in Magelang, East Java, came in the form of a picture of a pig biting the Holy Koran.
"That is defamation against religion and we have to take action on it," he said.
Badrodin called for all local police officers to be firm in order to create safety and order in society. (rin)(+)
