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Analysis: Increased restrictions on foreign journalists makes bad press for Indonesia
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Paper man: Kadum sells newspapers and magazines from his bicycle. (JP/Permata Adinda)
F
or foreign journalists, reporting on Indonesia is already difficult enough with so many conditions and restrictions that come with their visa and work permit. Though not as bad as it was during the Soeharto years, Indonesia still counts among the strictest as far as foreign journalists are concerned in comparison with many other countries in the region.
Now, the National Police have come up with another obstacle: Foreign journalists need to have police permits to work in “certain locations”, without clarifying what or where they are. The new rule is stipulated in the Police Regulation No. 3/2025 on supervision of foreigners, which applies to all foreigners, but cites journalists and researchers as examples.
Foreign journalists intending to reside in Indonesia must go through a lengthy bureaucratic process before they can move here, assuming their visas are approved. There have been reports that some have already been rejected. Their visas and work permits are subject to periodic review, typically a year, giving the government the option to reject the extension if their reporting is perceived as negative. No need for deportation, visas simply will not be renewed.
Indonesia is not exactly welcoming their presence, and the latest police regulation will not endear the country further. If the government is not careful, restrictions on foreign journalists will be part of the news, perhaps even front page news. This raises serious questions about Indonesia’s credentials as the world’s third-largest democracy.
Many foreign journalists cover Indonesia from Singapore or Thailand, countries that are not exactly known for protecting press freedom. However, securing a short-term journalist visa is just as complicated, and sometimes lengthy, and often with no guarantee of approval.
Papua is technically off-limits to foreign journalists. The government says they are not banned from Papua, however additional restrictions make it almost impossible for journalists to go there. Only a handful of foreign correspondents have managed to visit Papua, the eastern-most region that has seen escalating conflict between the military and separatist rebels in the last 20 years.
The new regulation, if enforced, further restricts journalist mobility and flexibility in covering the vast country.
