“Alhamdulillah [Thanks God]. The ITE Law draft revision has just been approved by the House and the government in the House plenary meeting,” Communications and Information Minister Rudiantara said as quoted by kompas.com on Thursday.

After the approval, the new law will enter the documentation stage at the House. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo will later put it on the state record, upon which the revised law will immediately take effect.  

Rudiantara said there were only several minor revisions in the ITE Law draft revision, which aim to adjust it in light of technological developments.

On his Twitter account, Rudiantara explained several of the points of change in the law. “The revised ITE Law has seven principal elements, and it is expected that they can answer problems posed by the current [technological] dynamics,” said the minister.

Among changes in the revised law is an expanded legal explanation to avoid multiple interpretations of online defamation/libel stipulated in Article 27 (3). In the new law, the online defamation article carries a maximum sentence of six years in prison, from the previous four years, and Rp 750 million (US$ 57,515) in fines, from the previous Rp 1 billion.

Sanctioning violent crime stipulated in Article 29 has also been reduced to a maximum four years in prison and Rp 750 million in fines from the previous 12 years in prison and Rp 2 billion in fines. (ebf)

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