TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Govt urged to give protection to Haris Azhar
Change Size
Coordinator of human rights watchdog Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Haris Azhar (left) and several other activists from the 'Indonesia's Movement to Eradicate the Narcotics Mafia' coalition give a press statement on August 8. The coalition urged the government to form an independent team to evaluate narcotics law enforcement following the defamation charges brought against Haris for releasing a social media post containing statements made by executed drug convict Freddy Budiman, who said that top legal and security institution officials were involved in his international drug network. (Antara/Wahyu Putro)
L
egal experts are calling for the government to give protection to prominent human rights activist Haris Azhar in light of recent charges made against him after his claims about the alleged involvement of top officials in drug trafficking.
Rights activists have slammed the defamation charges brought by the National Police, Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) against Haris, who is the coordinator of the human rights watchdog Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras).
Haris’ posting of the article, which was based on a statement made by executed drug lord Freddy Budiman, could not be considered a criminal offense as there were no names mentioned in a post, said Miko Ginting from the Center for Policy and Law Studies.
(Read also : Legal basis to sue Haris Azhar weak, expert says)
"The country should be giving individual or legal protection to Haris who has revealed information about the alleged support of officials in the war against the narcotics mafia," Miko said on Thursday.
Arif Maulana, a lawyer from Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta), agreed, saying that as a whistleblower Haris was entitled to receive protection from the country's Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK).
"By criminalizing Haris, the officials are distorting the purpose of law enforcement," Arif said.
The three institutions reported Haris to the National Police's Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) on Tuesday, accusing him of violating defamation provisions in the 2008 Electronic Information and Transactions Law. Haris’ released the viral post just hours before the drug kingpin was executed on Nusakambangan prison island. In it, he quotes Freddy as saying that he had a lot of help from top officials at law enforcement institutions throughout the years he ran his international drug network. (rin)
