Andi Adam Faturahman, Jakarta – The administration of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and his deputy, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, will mark its first year on Monday, October 20. Various notes, evaluations, and campaign commitments are being questioned, including the assurance of press freedom.
Referring to the Asta Cita, efforts to strengthen the ideology of Pancasila, democracy, and human rights as well as to guarantee press freedom are part of the Prabowo-Gibran work program in an effort to strengthen democracy.
"However, what happened instead was that Prabowo-Gibran exhibited a government that is far from press freedom," said Bayu Wardhana, the General Secretary of the Independent Journalists Alliance (AJI) Indonesia, when contacted on Saturday, October 18, 2025.
Based on data from AJI Indonesia regarding cases of violence against journalists from January to mid-October 2025, there were 70 cases of violence including physical violence, terror and intimidation, and threats.
Regarding violence against journalists in the form of physical violence, Bayu stated that it is still the most prevalent, with 23 cases. This is followed by digital attacks with 20 cases, terror and intimidation with 15 cases, threats with 7 cases, and coverage bans with 1 case.
"This data illustrates how Prabowo-Gibran is not very concerned with press freedom," stated Bayu.
According to Bayu, cases of violence against journalists in 2025 are likely to increase if Prabowo-Gibran continues to perpetuate impunity and show disregard for respecting press freedom.
He explained that violence against journalists is not only defined as physical attacks, but also includes bans on coverage and efforts to prosecute mass media outside the mechanisms of the Press Law and Press Council.
Bayu cited examples such as the revocation of the journalist identification card for CNN Indonesia by the Media Information Agency of the Presidential Secretariat because they asked questions about the issues surrounding the free nutritious meals program, and the lawsuit filed by Minister of Agriculture Amran Sulaiman against Tempo, as forms of Prabowo-Gibran's disregard for press freedom.
"Prabowo-Gibran must evaluate their government to avoid becoming a government that is distant from the press," said Bayu.
Meanwhile, in 2024, AJI Indonesia recorded 73 cases of violence against journalists, with physical violence, terror, threats, and coverage bans still being the highest in the records.
The Minister of State Secretariat and Presidential Spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi has not responded to Tempo's inquiry regarding Prabowo-Gibran's commitment to guarantee press freedom.
However, on September 29, during the uproar over the revocation of the ID card of a journalist from CNN Indonesia, Deputy for Protocol, Press, and Media of the Presidential Secretariat Yusuf Permana claimed that Prabowo highly upholds press freedom.
"He (Prabowo) still highly upholds, very much upholds openness and press freedom," said Yusuf.
– Hendrik Yaputra contributed to the writing of this article.