Violence against journalists in Indonesia reached alarming levels in 2024, with security forces emerging as the primary perpetrators of attacks on press freedom. According to data from the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Indonesia, the Indonesian National Police (Polri) committed 19 cases of violence against journalists, while the Indonesian National Army (TNI) was responsible for 11 cases.
This pattern of state-sponsored intimidation represents a serious escalation in threats to media freedom, with increasingly dangerous forms of violence including the murder of Tribrata TV journalist Rico Sempurna Pasaribu in North Sumatra, the arrest and torture of journalist Hery Kabut in East Nusa Tenggara, and a Molotov bomb attack on the Jubi editorial office in Papua Province (see photo on top, source: Jubi). The violence appears directly linked to journalists' coverage of corruption involving security officials, national strategic projects, gambling, and human rights issues.
The lack of accountability for these attacks has created a climate of impunity that enables continued harassment of media workers. Legal processes for violence against journalists remain largely stagnant, with only two cases processed in 2023 and just one in 2024, according to AJI data. This pattern is particularly evident in West Papua, where senior journalist Victor Mambor criticized the police's handling of the Jubi Molotov Case, noting that investigation files were passed back and forth between police and military without resolution. The terror against Jubi appears connected to the outlet's coverage of Papua independence issues and human rights violations, despite Jubi's efforts to provide balanced reporting and create space for dialogue on the conflict.
Government response to press freedom violations has been inadequate and, in some cases, openly hostile. President Prabowo has accused media outlets of being "foreign agents" when they report critical findings. Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Nezar Patria dismissed concerns about press freedom, claiming that the situation remains "fine" because no media outlets have been permanently closed. However, human rights advocates argue that this perspective ignores the systematic intimidation, violence against journalists, and its implications on journalistic work, particularly in conflict areas like West Papua. AJI Jayapura documented 7 out of 11 cases of violence against journalists allegedly committed by security forces between 2020-2024.
The Indonesian Press Council is attempting to address the crisis by forming a multi-stakeholder task force involving media organizations, police, human rights commissions, and prosecutors to accelerate the handling of violence cases. However, fundamental change requires stronger government commitment to upholding constitutional guarantees of press freedom under Article 28F of the 1945 Constitution and Law No. 40 of 1999 on the Press, as well as international human rights obligations under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
With 39 new cases of violence against journalists documented by AJI from January to May 2025 alone, urgent action is needed to break the cycle of impunity and ensure that security forces understand journalists work in the public interest rather than as targets for intimidation.