Indonesia

(CCPJ/IFEX) – On 6 May 1998, Paul Watson, a foreign correspondent and photographer with the “Toronto Star” newspaper of Canada, was arrested by local police in Medan, Indonesia. He had been taking photographs of “a store being looted during violent protests against rising prices”, says the “Toronto Star.” Police confiscated his film when they arrested […]

(ISAI/IFEX) – The following is the press release issued by the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) on 3 May 1998, in recognition of World Press Freedom Day: The Indonesian media was recently hit by a devastating blow as it too became a victim of the major economic and political crisis in Indonesia. The most damaging […]

(WiPC/IFEX) – According to information released by WiPC on 22 April 1998, actress and playwright Ratna Sarumpaet was arrested on 10 March 1998. She continues to be held in police custody in Jakarta and will be tried on charges of “unacceptable political activity” and “the expression of feelings of hostility . . . towards the […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – According to CPJ, there appears to be an ongoing campaign of intimidation and harassment directed by the Greater Jakarta Military Command against a number of journalists and news outlets in Indonesia. Under the guise of a continuing investigation into a bombing incident that occurred on 18 January 1998, reporters, editors and publishers have […]

(ISAI/IFEX) – According to ISAI, on 3 April 1998, Indonesian anti-riot police beat two Indonesian journalists and seized film from two foreign journalists while the reporters were covering a crack-down on student protests in the Javanese city of Yogyakarta. It was reported in the Indonesian media that journalists Bambang Soen, of the daily “Republika”, and […]

(RSF/IFEX) – As previously reported by RSF, Ging Ginanjar, correspondent of the Australian radio SBS, was arrested on 10 March 1998 in Jakarta as he was interviewing an actress, Ratna Sarumpaet, who had organized a meeting to discuss the consequences of the Indonesian economic crisis. Lieutenant-Colonel Rismawan, chief of police for the north district of […]

(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) – Stephanie Vaessen, a reporter for the Dutch public television network NOS, has been ordered to leave Indonesia within a week by Akhmadsyah Naina, director of journalistic affairs at the Department of Information. Vaessen had entered the parliament building without the proper press identification during a People’s Consultative Assembly meeting in order to interview […]

(ISAI/IFEX) – On 6 March 1998, Margiono (one name only), editor-in-chief of “D&R” magazine, was suspended from the Association of Indonesian Journalists (PWI) for two years following the publication of a cover photo depicting Indonesian President Suharto as the king of spades. According to General (ret.) Hartono, the outgoing Minister of Information, the cover both […]

(HRW/IFEX) – HRW’s Academic Freedom Committee is gravely concerned over the formal warning recently sent to researchers at Indonesia’s prestigious National Institute of Sciences, Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia (LIPI) by Dr. B. J. Habibie, State Minister of Research and Technology. On 20 January 1998, a group of nineteen LIPI researchers held a press conference and […]

(ISAI/IFEX) – Despite protests at the previous banning of “Marsinah Menggugat” (Marsinah Accuses) on 26 November 1997, the performance scheduled for 6 December at the Centre Culturel Francais (CCF) in Bandung was once again banned by authorities. The ban was reportedly carried out by the West Java police, the Bandung police and the Central Bandung […]

(ISAI/IFEX) – Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas said in Jakarta on 17 November 1997 that his government would take action against any Indonesians seen protesting against President Suharto during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Vancouver, Canada, which took place on 24 to 25 November. “If they are Indonesian nationals, yes, we will […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – Leading Indonesian independent journalist Ahmad Taufik will receive the International Press Freedom Award of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on 19 November 1997 – the award he was unable to accept in 1995 because he was serving a three-year sentence in Indonesia for publishing articles critical of the Suharto regime. CPJ’s Asia […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 11 November 1997, Lynn Ann Fredriksson, a freelance journalist from the United States of America specialising in human rights violations, was expelled from East Timor as she was covering a ceremony marking the anniversary of a 1991 massacre of East Timor civilians by Indonesian soldiers. She is accused of “disturbing [the] public […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 28 October 1997, at least three journalists were assaulted by policemen as they were covering an anti-government demonstration near the monument to the Declaration of Independence in Jakarta. At 3:35 pm, some officers began to disperse the crowd. Ezki Suyanto, a journalist with “Panji Masyarakat”, was threatened by security officers. Although he […]

Andi Syahputra, a media worker with the leading Indonesian underground newspaper “Suara Independen”, was arrested at 4:00 on the morning of 28 October 1996, not 27 October as was reported. **Corrects and updates IFEX alert dated 28 October 1996** On 28 October, Indonesian police raided the printing house where “Suara Independen” is printed and arrested […]