Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Independent Journalist Alliance (AJI) of Yogyakarta province, that the police along with vigilante groups forcibly dispersed the commemoration of the world press freedom day. By taking sides with vigilante and intolerant mobs, the police have failed to guarantee the freedom of press, and failed to uphold the rule of law in a professional and rightful manner.
CASE NARRATIVE:
On the evening of 3 May 2016, the AJI Yogyakarta held an event to mark the international press freedom day, which included the screening of the movie, “Pulau Buru Tanah Air Beta (Buru island is my country).” The event was attended by hundreds of journalists and other civil society members. Moreover, AJI also invited the police chief of Yogyakarta province regional police (Kapolda) and the chief police of Yogyakarta city police resort (Polresta) to attend and participate in the event.
At 2:00 p.m., police officers came to the event and asked about the schedule. The police stated that the officer who will be attending is the Police Commissaries (Kompol) Wahyu Dwi Nugroho, head of intelligence and security (Kasat Intelkam) of Polresta Yogyakarta.
At 5:10 p.m., seven plain-clothed police officers led by Kompol Wahyu Dwi Nugroho came along with army personnel of the Umbul Harjo military command (Koramil), and asked about the police permit for the event. The chair of AJI, Mr. Anang Zakaria, and council member of AJI, Mr. Bambang Muryanto, responded that the invitation to the police is part of the permit, but the police denied such reasoning, saying that an invitation is different from a permit.
The negotiation between the AJI and the police officers was fruitless, with the police insisting that the movie screening be canceled and replaced with another movie. The police argued that the public outside the AJI’s office demanded the movie screening be stopped. Mr. Anang and other AJI members tried to convince the police that this is an annual event, and the movie is a journalistic endeavor. Nevertheless the police refused the reasons.
Without any resolution, the AJI finally started its event at 6:50 p.m., and when Mr. Anang was delivering his opening speech and reporting on press freedom in Yogyakarta province, suddenly the head of Umbulharjo sub-district came and demanded the event be stopped. Furthermore, at 7:28 p.m. another police group led by Police Commissaries (Kompol) Sigit Haryadi, head of operational division, Yogyakarta city police resort (Polresta Yogyakarta) suddenly entered the office and spoke loudly to stop the event. Shortly thereafter, many vigilante groups also entered the AJI’s office and loudly yelled to stop the event, accusing it of being communist propaganda. The mob intimidated the audience, and finally, to avoid any violence, at 8:30 p.m. AJI stopped the event.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
In the last one year, countless similar cases occurred in many provinces of Indonesia, not only at public forums, but also in the offices such as AJI, in the university and also in the community. The Indonesian police have failed to guarantee the right to freedom of assembly, expression and opinion as guaranteed by the Indonesian Constitution (UUD 1945) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Indonesia is a state party.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the authorities listed below, asking them to ensure that comprehensive investigation is conducted to discern and dismantle relations between the police and vigilante groups. Moreover, the government must seriously evaluate and punish any police officers found guilty of shirking their duty. The government must show its seriousness to guarantee and protect the right of all people to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly without.
The AHRC will write a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression calling for his intervention into this matter.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ………………..,
INDONESIA: Police and vigilante groups forcibly disperse movie screening on press freedom day
Name of victims: Independent Journalists Alliance (AJI) of Yogyakarta province and other civil society members who attended the movie screening
Names of alleged perpetrators: The police and vigilante groups
Date of incident: 3 May 2016
Place of incident: Yogyakarta province
I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the police along with vigilante groups forcibly dispersed the commemoration of the world press freedom day. By taking sides with vigilante and intolerant mobs, the police have failed to guarantee the freedom of press, and failed to uphold the rule of law in a professional and rightful manner.
On the evening of 3 May 2016, the AJI Yogyakarta held an event to mark the international press freedom day, which included the screening of the movie, “Pulau Buru Tanah Air Beta (Buru island is my country).” The event was attended by hundreds of journalists and other civil society members. Moreover, AJI also invited the police chief of Yogyakarta province regional police (Kapolda) and the chief police of Yogyakarta city police resort (Polresta) to attend and participate in the event.
At 2:00 p.m., police officers came to the event and asked about the schedule. The police stated that the officer who will be attending is the Police Commissaries (Kompol) Wahyu Dwi Nugroho, head of intelligence and security (Kasat Intelkam) of Polresta Yogyakarta.
At 5:10 p.m., seven plain-clothed police officers led by Kompol Wahyu Dwi Nugroho came along with army personnel of the Umbul Harjo military command (Koramil), and asked about the police permit for the event. The chair of AJI, Mr. Anang Zakaria, and council member of AJI, Mr. Bambang Muryanto, responded that the invitation to the police is part of the permit, but the police denied such reasoning, saying that an invitation is different from a permit.
The negotiation between the AJI and the police officers was fruitless, with the police insisting that the movie screening be canceled and replaced with another movie. The police argued that the public outside the AJI’s office demanded the movie screening be stopped. Mr. Anang and other AJI members tried to convince the police that this is an annual event, and the movie is a journalistic endeavor. Nevertheless the police refused the reasons.
Without any resolution, the AJI finally started its event at 6:50 p.m., and when Mr. Anang was delivering his opening speech and reporting on press freedom in Yogyakarta province, suddenly the head of Umbulharjo sub-district came and demanded the event be stopped. Furthermore, at 7:28 p.m. another police group led by Police Commissaries (Kompol) Sigit Haryadi, head of operational division, Yogyakarta city police resort (Polresta Yogyakarta) suddenly entered the office and spoke loudly to stop the event. Shortly thereafter, many vigilante groups also entered the AJI’s office and loudly yelled to stop the event, accusing it of being communist propaganda. The mob intimidated the audience, and finally, to avoid any violence, at 8:30 p.m. AJI stopped the event.
Therefore, I respectfully request you to ensure that comprehensive investigation is conducted to discern and dismantle relations between the police and vigilante groups. Moreover, the government must seriously evaluate and punish any police officers found guilty of shirking their duty. The government must show its seriousness to guarantee and protect the right of all people to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly without.
I look forward to your prompt action in this matter.
Yours Sincerely,
……………….
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. JokoWidodo
President of the Republic of Indonesia
Jl. Veteran No. 16
Jakarta Pusat
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 3458 595
Fax: +62 21 3484 4759
E-mail: webmaster@setneg.go.id
2. Mr. YasonnaLaoly
Minister of Law and Human Rights
Jl. HR Rasuna Said Kav. 6–7
Kuningan, Jakarta 12940
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 525 3006, 525 3889
Fax: +62 21 525 3095
3. Dr. MualiminAbdi SH., MH
Director General of Human Rights
Office of the Director General of Human Rights
Jl. HR Rasuna Said Kav. 6–7
Kuningan, Jakarta 12940
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 5253006
Fax: +62 21 5253095
4. General Badroedin Haiti
Chief of National Police (KAPOLRI)
Jl. Trunojoyo No. 3 KebayoranBaru, Jakarta Selatan 12110
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 384 8537, 726 0306
Fax: +62 21 7220 669
E-mail: info@polri.go.id
5. Mr. LuhutBinsarPanjaitan
Chairperson National Police Commission
Jl. Tirtayasa VII No. 20
KebayoranBaru, Jakarta Selatan
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 739 2315
Fax: +62 21 739 2352
E-mail: secretariat@kompolnas.go.id, skm@kompolnas.go.id
6. Professor. AmzulianRifai S.H, LL.M, PhD
Chairperson of Ombudsman of Republic of Indonesia
Jl. HR. Rasuna Said Kav. C-19 Kuningan (GedungPengadilan TIPIKOR) Jakarta Selatan
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 52960894-95
Fax: +62 21-52960904-05
7. General GatotNurmantyo
Chief of Indonesian Military
Mabes TNI Cilangkap Jakarta Timur
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 84595576, +62 21 8459-5326
Fax: + 62 21 84591193
Email: ppidtni@puspen.tni.mil.id
8. Mr. MahfudzSiddiq
Chairperson of the Commission one of the House of Representative [DPR]
Gedung Nusantara II DPR RI, Lt I
JalanJenderalGatotSubroto, Jakarta,
INDONESIA
Tel : +62 21 5715.520, +62 21 5715.518 – 581
Fax : +62 21 5715. 328 +62 21 571 5687
Email : bag_pengaduan@dpr.go.id
9. Dr. HM. Azis Syamsuddin, SH
Chairperson of the Commission III of The House of Representative
KetuaKomisi III DPR RI
Gedung Nusantara II DPR RI, Lt I
JalanJenderalGatotSubroto, Jakarta,
INDONESIA
Telp : +62 21 -5715566, +62 21-5715569, +62 21-5715864
Fax : +62 21 5715566
10. Mr. Imdadun Rahmat
Chairperson National Human Rights Commission
Jl. Latuharhary No. 4-B
Jakarta 10310
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 392 5227-30
Fax: +62 21 392 5227
E-mail: info@komnas.go.id
11. Mr. Josep Adi Prasetyo
Chairperson of Press Council (Dewan Pers)
Gedung Dewan Pers Lantai VII – VIII
Jl. Kebon Sirih No. 32-34 Jakarta Pusat 10110
Tel: +62 21-3521488, +62 21-3504877, +62 21 3504874-75
Fax: +62 21-3452030
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
