Victory for free speech in Indonesia as court curbs defamation law
A landmark court ruling in
Indonesia barring public officials, groups and corporations from filing defamation suits against their critics has been hailed by rights groups as a step forward for free speech – though concerns remain over other laws still used to suppress dissent in the world's third-largest democracy.
On April 29, the Constitutional Court partially granted a petition by environmental activist Daniel Frits Maurits Tangkilisan, who had challenged a controversial defamation provision in the country's Electronic Information and Transaction (ITE) Law.
Critics have long argued that the law is too broad and has been used to stifle public criticism of those in power.
Tangkilisan was sentenced to seven months in prison in April last year over
Facebook comments criticising the environmental impact of a shrimp pond development in the Karimunjawa Islands, off the northern coast of Central Java. Local residents filed the complaint collectively, saying they were offended by Tangkilisan's posts, leading to his prosecution under the ITE Law. He was later acquitted on appeal.
Daniel Frits Maurits Tangkilisan was sentenced to seven months in prison for Facebook comments criticising shrimp pond development but was later acquitted on appeal. Photo: Facebook/Daniel Frits Maurits Tangkilisan
In its ruling last month, the Constitutional Court stated that defamation charges under the ITE Law could only be brought by individuals, not by 'government agencies, groups of people with specific or particular identities, institutions, corporations, professions or positions'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
11 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Indonesia, EU to conclude 9 years of free trade negotiations
Indonesia said on Saturday that free trade negotiations with the European Union, which have been ongoing for nine years, are expected to be concluded by the end of June. Airlangga Hartarto, the chief economic minister for Southeast Asia's biggest economy, met with EU Commissioner for Trade Maros Sefcovic in Brussels on Friday. 'Indonesia and the European Union have agreed to conclude outstanding issues and we are ready to announce a conclusion of substantial negotiations by the end of June 2025,' Airlangga Hartarto said in a statement. Indonesia will get zero tariffs for 80 per cent of its export products to the EU and removal of non-tariff barriers, as it pushes for bigger market access for footwear, garments, palm oil and fishery products, Airlanga told a press conference later on Saturday. The EU has discussed Jakarta's rules on mandatory use of local content in products sold in the Indonesian market, the automotive industry, trade of critical minerals and investment facilities, Airlangga said. Indonesia and the EU have previously disagreed on EU trade rules for products with potential links to deforestation that could affect Indonesian palm oil.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- South China Morning Post
How Trump's tariffs could benefit Asean in the long run
US President Donald Trump's tariffs – especially the ultra-high 'reciprocal tariffs' that he says will be reintroduced on July 8 for any country that has not struck a trade deal with his administration – have sent countries around the world scrambling to respond, adapt and limit the fallout. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations' 10 members – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – have been among the most proactive. Advertisement Their leaders quickly recognised that, after decades of spectacular gross domestic product growth, Asean is an economic force that the Trump administration would have to reckon with in a serious way. In 2000, Japan was the world's second-largest economy, some eight times larger than Asean; today, it is only 1.1 times larger, and by 2030, Asean's economy will overtake it. In 2010-2020, Asean contributed more to global economic growth than the European Union did. Asean owes much of this progress to open trade. Between 2003 and 2023, its trade with the rest of the world exploded. But the real secret to Asean's success is strong and competent leadership, exemplified, in the grouping's early years, by Singaporean prime minister Lee Kuan Yew , a Cambridge-educated lawyer, and Indonesian president Suharto, a Javanese military leader and mystic. It was their unlikely partnership that kept Asean together. Asean's leaders have upheld relative peace and stability in their countries, while cultivating a culture of consultation and consensus in guiding regional relations. This stands in stark contrast to the experiences of many other developing countries and regions. Advertisement
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- South China Morning Post
China fans savage football team after World Cup failure, say it should be disbanded
China fans are used to being disappointed by their men's football team, but having their hopes of qualifying for the World Cup dashed by Indonesia appears to have been the final straw. A 1-0 defeat in Jakarta on Thursday was the first time, according to Chinese state media, they had lost to their rivals in 68 years. Their opponents, meanwhile, suggested it was only 38 years, pointing to a match in the King's Cup in Thailand in 1987, when a Galatama XI beat Hubei 3-1. Either way, social media was awash with supporters suggesting the time had come to disband a side that was 'a waste of national resources'. Another commenter believed 'any of the people in the village supermarket are better than them'. There was some humour too, with one fan suggesting things were not all bad, as there was now time to 'prepare for the 2030 World Cup four years in advance', while another wondered whether the money spent on the team might be put to better use by 'building 10 more aircraft carriers'. Indonesia players take in the celebrations after their victory over China. Photo: Xinhua Predictably, head coach Branko Ivankovic came in for some heavy criticism, although there was also a lot of discussion about a Chinese system that has failed to produce a World Cup side for more than 20 years.
