Bambang Muryanto and Syofiardi Bachyul Jb, Yogyakarta/Bandung – The commemorations to mark World Press Freedom Day, which fell on Friday, were as varied as the journalists and NGO activists that organized them.
In Yogyakarta, a local police headquarters was the location of a demonstration calling for a thorough investigation into the suspicious deaths of journalist Fuad Muhammad Syafruddin, alias Udin, almost 17 years ago. Protesters came from the Press Legal Aid Institute (LBH Pers), the local branch of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) and the People's Coalition for Udin (KAMU).
"This month we sent a petition regarding Udin's case to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression and the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights [AICHR] to reopen the case," LBH Pers Yogyakarta director Aloysius Budi Kurniawan said at the Yogyakarta Police headquarters.
The group shared the petition with the police's community counseling director Sr. Comr. Stephen M. Napiun and spokesperson Adj. Sr. Comr. Anny Pudjiastuti. Both individuals acknowledged that 23 different press freedom supporter organizations – both domestic and international – had given their support to the petition.
Udin was assaulted at his house in Bantul, Yogyakarta, on Aug. 13, 1996, he died three days later from his injuries, he never regained consciousness.
The police arrested Dwi Sumadji, alias Iwik, on the suspicion that he had murdered Udin over an affair the deceased allegedly had with Iwik's wife. Iwik was later acquitted because of a lack of evidence. There have been no other suspect arrested since.
Udin was known for his reports on corruption, fund misappropriation and incidents involving local government officials; many believe he was murdered because of this.
In response to the protesters' demand, Sr. Comr. Stephen M Napiun said would arrange a meeting with Yogyakarta Police chief Brig. Gen. Haka Astana to discuss the case.
The demand for a thorough investigation into Udin's death was similarly expressed in Padang, West Sumatra.
"The case is due to expire on Aug. 16, 2014. We don't want the case to end like that," LBH Pers Padang director Rony Saputra told The Jakarta Post. He called on President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to give the case attention.
In the petition, the pro-press freedom organizations wrote that Indonesia is party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It is legally bound to respect, guarantee and uphold the right to freedom of expression protected by Article 19 of the Covenant, which includes the obligation to ensure that; attacks on journalists are vigorously investigated in a timely fashion, the perpetrators are prosecuted and the victims – or in the case of death, their representatives – receive appropriate forms of redress.
Separately in Bandung, West Java, to mark World Press Freedom Day journalists from the AJI and local branches of the Indonesian Television Journalists Association (IJTI) made a declaration to reject violence against journalists.
The declaration – made in response to the high number of incidents of violence against journalists in Indonesia – also involved a number of chief editors from printed and electronic media.
AJI Indonesia, according to Zaky, recorded no less than 49 cases of violence against journalists between December 2010 and December 2011, 56 cases during the same period of 2011 and 2012 and 10 cases from January to April this year.
[Arya Dipa contributed to this story from Bandung.]