T

he Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) has called on the police to investigate violence against journalists during the mass rally on Friday but at the same time urged journalists to respect their codes of ethics.

“All parties have to understand the way journalists work. Journalists’ work is protected by law,” AJI chairman Suwardjono said in a statement issued on Sunday.

The AJI recorded numerous instances of violence against journalists — both physical and non-physical — during the rally, including a TV crew being expelled from Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta because the television station was accused of biased reporting.

Suwarjono also expressed concern over threats against journalists that had been spread on the internet in the days leading up to the event.

“That means a situation of hatred was developed from the beginning. That is a bad precedent for freedom of the press,” he said.