Latest news with #DanielFritsMauritsTangkilisan
South China Morning Post
18-05-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
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'.
The Star
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
In defence of free speech
The country's Constitutional Court has approved in part a petition brought by an environment campaigner, opening the way for a legal change to bar the government or a company from filing defamation complaints in the event of criticism. Human rights activists have said the Electronic Information and Transaction Law is a threat to freedom of speech and that the government has used it to criminalise its critics. Environment activist Daniel Frits Maurits Tangkilisan had petitioned the Constitutional Court to revoke an article in the law regulating defamation. The court did not revoke the article but banned a 'government, company, institution or groups with specific identities' from filing defamation complaints against an individual, judge Arief Hidayat said. He said defamation complaints could only be filed by the person who had been defamed and the court's action aimed to ensure legal certainty and prevent 'arbitrariness by the law enforcer'. The President's spokesperson, Prasetyo Hadi said the government respected and would follow the ruling if it affected policy. He also reiterated the importance of 'responsible freedom of speech' such as addressing critics based on data. Any ruling by the Constitutional Court is effective immediately and legally binding. Tangkilisan's lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis praised the decision, saying even a good government needed critics. Usman Hamid, executive director of Amnesty International in Indonesia, also said the ruling on Tuesday was positive. 'We can still put our hope to the court in preventing the setback of civil liberty in Indonesia,' he said. Among the more prominent defamation cases in recent years, two rights activists were charged with defamation in 2023 after being accused of defaming a senior cabinet minister. They were later acquitted. A singer and opposition figure Ahmad Dhani was sentenced to a year in prison in 2019 under the law after calling political rivals idiots in an online video. — Reuters
The Star
30-04-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Indonesian court bans govt, company from defamation complaints
An environment activist had petitioned the Constitutional Court to revoke an Article in the law regulating defamation. - Reuters JAKARTA: Indonesia's Constitutional Court has approved in part a petition brought by an environment campaigner, it said on Tuesday (April 29), opening the way for a legal change to bar the government or a company filing defamation complaints in the event of criticism. Human rights activists have said the Electronic Information and Transaction Law is a threat to freedom of speech in the world's third-largest democracy and that the government has used it to criminalise its critics. Environment activist Daniel Frits Maurits Tangkilisan had petitioned the Constitutional Court to revoke an article in the law regulating defamation. The court did not revoke the article but banned a "government, company, institution, or groups with specific identities" from filing defamation complaints against an individual, judge Arief Hidayat said. He said defamation complaints could only be filed by the person who had been defamed and the court's action aimed to ensure legal certainty and prevent "arbitrariness by the law enforcer". The President's spokesperson, Prasetyo Hadi said the government respected and would follow the ruling if it affected policy. He also reiterated the importance of "responsible freedom of speech" such as addressing critics based on data. Any ruling by the Constitutional Court is effective immediately and legally binding. Tangkilisan's lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis praised the decision, saying even a good government needed critics, local newspaper Kompas reported. Usman Hamid, executive director of Amnesty International in Indonesia, also said the ruling was positive. "We can still put our hope to the court in preventing the setback of civil liberty in Indonesia," he told Reuters. Among the more prominent defamation cases in recent years, two rights activists were charged with defamation under the law in 2023 after being accused of defaming a senior cabinet minister. They were later acquitted. A singer and opposition figure Ahmad Dhani was sentenced to a year in prison in 2019 under the law after calling political rivals idiots in an online video. - Reuters
The Print
30-04-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Indonesian court bans government, company from defamation complaints
Environment activist Daniel Frits Maurits Tangkilisan had petitioned the Constitutional Court to revoke an article in the law regulating defamation. Human rights activists have said the Electronic Information and Transaction Law is a threat to freedom of speech in the world's third-largest democracy and that the government has used it to criminalise its critics. JAKARTA (Reuters) -Indonesia's Constitutional Court has approved in part a petition brought by an environment campaigner, it said on Tuesday, opening the way for a legal change to bar the government or a company filing defamation complaints in the event of criticism. The court did not revoke the article but banned a 'government, company, institution, or groups with specific identities' from filing defamation complaints against an individual, judge Arief Hidayat said. He said defamation complaints could only be filed by the person who had been defamed and the court's action aimed to ensure legal certainty and prevent 'arbitrariness by the law enforcer'. The President's spokesperson, Prasetyo Hadi said the government respected and would follow the ruling if it affected policy. He also reiterated the importance of 'responsible freedom of speech' such as addressing critics based on data. Any ruling by the Constitutional Court is effective immediately and legally binding. Tangkilisan's lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis praised the decision, saying even a good government needed critics, local newspaper Kompas reported. Usman Hamid, executive director of Amnesty International in Indonesia, also said the ruling was positive. 'We can still put our hope to the court in preventing the setback of civil liberty in Indonesia,' he told Reuters. Among the more prominent defamation cases in recent years, two rights activists were charged with defamation under the law in 2023 after being accused of defaming a senior cabinet minister. They were later acquitted. A singer and opposition figure Ahmad Dhani was sentenced to a year in prison in 2019 under the law after calling political rivals idiots in an online video. (Reporting by Ananda Teresia and Stefanno Sulaiman; Editing by Barbara Lewis and Kate Mayberry) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
AsiaOne
29-04-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
Indonesian court bans government, company from defamation complaints, Asia News
JAKARTA — Indonesia's Constitutional Court has approved in part a petition brought by an environment campaigner, it said on Tuesday (April 29), opening the way for a legal change to bar the government or a company filing defamation complaints in the event of criticism. Human rights activists have said the Electronic Information and Transaction law is a threat to freedom of speech in the world's third-largest democracy and that the government has used it to criminalise its critics. Environment activist Daniel Frits Maurits Tangkilisan had petitioned the Constitutional Court to revoke an article in the law regulating defamation. The court did not revoke the article but banned a "government, company, institution, or groups with specific identities" from filing defamation complaints against an individual, judge Arief Hidayat said. He said defamation complaints can only be filed by the person who has been defamed and the court's action aimed to ensure legal certainty and prevent "arbitrariness by the law enforcer". Indonesia's law minister did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Any ruling by Constitutional Court is effective immediately and legally binding. Tangkilisan's lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis praised the ruling, saying a good government still need critics, local newspaper Kompas reported. Usman Hamid, executive director of Amnesty International in Indonesia, also said the ruling was positive. "We can still put our hope to the court in preventing the setback of civil liberty in Indonesia," he told Reuters. Among prominent instances of defamation cases in Indonesia, two rights activists were charged with defamation under the law in 2023 after being accused of defaming a senior cabinet minister. They were then acquitted. A singer and opposition figure Ahmad Dhani was sentenced to a year in prison in 2019 under the law after calling political rivals idiots in an online video. [[nid:715880]]
