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View all search resultsPress groups decry govt’s restriction of Magdalene’s acid attack post
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A demonstrator holds a “Protect The Freedom Of The Press“ sign on Jan. 30, 2026, as journalist Don Lemon departs federal court in Los Angeles, the United States. Lemon was arrested in Beverly Hills in connection to a protest he had covered at a Minnesota church. (Getty Images via AFP/Mario Tama)
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ournalist associations have condemned the Communications and Digital Ministry’s move to geographically restrict an Instagram post by online news outlet Magdalene about a recent acid attack involving the military, calling it illegal and a dangerous precedent for press freedom.
The restriction targeted a Mar. 30 post on Magdalene’s Instagram page detailing the latest findings on the acid attack against activist Andrie Yunus, based on an independent probe by the Advocacy Team for Democracy (TAUD), a coalition of human rights groups.
The findings identified 16 individuals allegedly linked to the attack, far exceeding the four military officers named suspects by the National Military Police Headquarters (Puspom TNI) last month.
Later on April 3, Magdalene’s editorial team learned from readers that the post had been made unavailable to users in Indonesia, with Instagram saying it had “complied with a legal request” from the Communications Ministry to geo-block the content.
The post remains accessible through servers outside the country.
Read also: Freedom of expression under threat as more activists face intimidation
In a joint statement on April 6, Magdalene and the Journalist Safety Commission (KKJ), an alliance of 11 civil society and media organizations, said the restriction amounted to censorship of legitimate journalistic work.
