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Internet Law increasingly used to silence critics
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Social media is a not a courtroom, so do not play judge and persecutor. (Shutterstock.com/File)
W
hen the House of Representatives passed the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law in 2008, activists were concerned that some articles in the revised law would be used to silence critics by the powers that be.
That prophesy is not way off the mark.
While some people may claim to have a strong legal ground to press charges against those who spread lies against them, there is no denying that people close to power have been using the law to punish their critics, according to the Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet).
The latest example of that, activists say, is the move made by an organization linked to the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) to report journalist-cum-activist Dandhy Dwi Laksono to the East Java Police for writing a Facebook status comparing PDI-P leader Megawati Soekarnoputri and Myanmar State Counselor Aung Saan Suu Kyi.
The PDI-P’s Democratic Struggle Volunteers (Repdem) accused Dandhy of defaming Megawati for likening what Megawati did with regard to the persecution of native Papuans in the restive province of Papua to Aung Saan Suu Kyi’s failure to halt the persecution of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Rakhine State.
Read also: Woman accused of fake food orders named defamation suspect
Dandhy was the 35th activist accused of violating the ITE Law since 2008 and the 28th case recorded since President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo took office in 2014, according to SAFEnet.
