Jakarta – Indonesia's human rights body has reminded the government and the House of Representatives not to misuse the revision of the Terrorism Law to limit freedom of expression, in relation to a plan to add an article on treason.
The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) said on Thursday that the regulation could have negative impacts if the government and legislative body did not accommodate people's aspirations.
We agree that the revision is to intensify preventive actions but we don't want the bill to restrain freedom of speech," Komnas HAM member Nur Kholis told reporters, adding that the government should hold a public hearing to involve all relevant parties in the law revision.
The government hopes the revision of the 2013 Terrorism Law will enable the police to take legal steps against terrorist suspects even if they have not yet been proven to have committed terror acts. (vps/dan)(+)