(RSF/IFEX) – According to RSF, Ging Ginanjar, a freelance journalist, was arrested on 10 March 1998 in Jakarta as he was interviewing actress Ratna Sarumpaet. Sarumpaet had organised a meeting to discuss the consequences of the Indonesian economic crisis where Lieutenant-Colonel Rismawan, chief of police for the north district of Jakarta, made 8 arrests without […]
(RSF/IFEX) – According to RSF, Ging Ginanjar, a freelance journalist, was
arrested on 10 March 1998 in Jakarta as he was interviewing actress Ratna
Sarumpaet. Sarumpaet had organised a meeting to discuss the consequences
of the Indonesian economic crisis where Lieutenant-Colonel Rismawan, chief
of police for the north district of Jakarta, made 8 arrests without
warrants. Ginanjar, who is still detained incommunicado, may be imprisoned
under article 501 of the Indonesian criminal code, which prohibits meeting
organisation and subversion. Indonesian authorities have forbidden any
public meetings throughout the electoral process.
This is not the first infringement of press freedom in Indonesia in recent
days. On 6 March 1998, Margiono, editor in chief of D&R magazine, was
suspended for a two-year period by the official Association of Indonesian
Journalists (PWI), after publishing a cover showing President Suharto as the
king of spades. He might be sentenced to jail for up to 6 years.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
midst of economic problems, journalists are able to do their work without
interference
Appeals To
His Excellency President Suharto
c/o Foreign Ministry
Jakarta
Indonesia
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
