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View all search resultsMeme creator’s release fails to ease free speech fears
The release of a social media content creator accused over a satirical post has done little to ease concerns over the growing criminalization of government critics, with rights groups warning that his continued status as a suspect reflects an increasingly hostile environment for online free expression in Indonesia.
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Illustration of a document showing text reading 'Freedom of Speech' (Shutterstock/kamitana)
T
he release of a social media content creator detained over a satirical post has done little to ease concerns over the growing criminalization of government critics, with rights groups warning that his continued status as a suspect reflects an increasingly hostile environment for online free expression in Indonesia.
The Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) announced on Thursday that Risyad Azhary, the operator behind the parody X account @TheKerupuk had been released after spending three days in Tangerang Police custody.
Risyad was arrested on Monday evening after officers intercepted him outside his residence. He was taken to a police station and named a suspect the following day.
According to LBH Jakarta, the arrest was unlawful because officers failed to present an arrest warrant and prevented Risyad from contacting his lawyers while he was being held.
Although no longer in detention, Risyad remains a suspect under the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law. Police have accused him of unlawfully altering or manipulating another person's electronic information, an offense that carries a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison and is more commonly associated with hacking or document falsification.
Read also: Freedom of expression under threat as more activists face intimidation
LBH Jakarta lawyer Danier Winarta said the case stemmed from a satirical meme Risyad posted on X criticizing government policies.
