The following is a 29 February 2000 press release by the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) – Jakarta Office, of which AJI is a member: Malang: A journalist beaten 29 February 2000 The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) Jakarta Office is extremely alarmed over the ongoing attacks against Indonesian journalists. A journalist has once again […]
The following is a 29 February 2000 press release by the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) – Jakarta Office, of which AJI is a member:
Malang: A journalist beaten
29 February 2000
The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) Jakarta Office is extremely alarmed over the ongoing attacks against Indonesian journalists. A journalist has once again become the target of an attack. Dani Rahman, a Memo Arema’s journalist, was beaten by Syaiful, a member of “Tim Reformasi Kecamatan Ngantang”.
This incident occurred on Wednesday, February 23, in Koperasi Unit Desa (KUD), a village small business cooperative, in Sumber Makmur, Kecamatan Ngantang, Malang, East Java. Dani Rahman was doing an investigative report on a corruption case involving hundreds of millions of rupiahs in the KUD. On that day, he came to the KUD to interview Pamudji, KUD’s head, about the case. After the interview, Dani was about to go home when he was stopped by Syaiful and his two companions, Irfan and Joko, in the KUD’s living room. They demanded that Dani disclose his informant on the case, but he refused to do so. This angered Syaiful. Suddenly, Syaiful began kicking and beating Dani. The violent assault which was witnessed by Pamudji, the KUD’s head, and Mulyadi Tamim, the KUD’s secretary, did not stop until Dani disclosed his informant.
As an organisation of journalists dedicated to press freedom and to the assurance of protection for journalists, SEAPA Jakarta strongly condemns the attack. Besides constituting a criminal action, the attack is considered a threat to press freedom in Indonesia. Moreover, the atmosphere of press freedom currently upheld in Indonesia can be impeded if journalists are subject to continual attack from those who disagree with what journalists do and produce. We appeal to any parties who object to journalists’ actions, to express their dissatisfaction through the right of reply or by referring the matter to the court. SEAPA Jakarta also demands that the police immediately investigate the attack and prosecute the perpetrator.
