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fter mounting public protests, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has reversed the decision to commute the life sentence of I Nyoman Susrama, who was convicted of the murder of Radar Bali daily journalist Anak Agung Gede Narendra Prabangsa, to 20 years’ imprisonment.

President Jokowi confirmed the report during National Press Day in Surabaya, East Java, on Saturday, meaning that Nyoman must serve his life sentence. “Yes, I have signed the paperwork,” he said on the sidelines of the event.

Susrama was sentenced to life in prison after judges found him guilty of masterminding the murder of Prabangsa in February 2009.

Prabangsa was killed in his house in Bangli, Bali, and his body was thrown into the sea.

His body was found floating in waters west of Padangbai Harbor. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Prabangsa received threatening calls and text messages for two weeks before he disappeared.

Susrama, the younger brother of former Bangli regent I Nengah Arnawa, is currently serving his sentence in Bangli prison.

Previously, the President’s decision to commute Susrama’s life sentence to 20 years’ imprisonment, which would have entitled him to additional remissions during religious holidays or on Independence Day, angered the press community and rights activists, as the Prabangsa murder case was the first case of violence against a journalist that was uncovered.

Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) chairman Abdul Manan said he appreciated Jokowi’s decision to retract the remission for Susrama. “This means the President listened to our aspiration,” Abdul said on Sunday.