Members of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) reportedly dispersed a public screening of the documentary film Pesta Babi in Ternate City, North Maluku, on 8 May 2026. According to statements by the local military commander, the screening was halted because the film had attracted public criticism on social media and was considered by some to be provocative and capable of inflaming sensitive ethnic and religious issues. Press freedom advocates condemned the intervention, arguing that it constituted an unlawful restriction on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom of expression and access to information.
According to media reports, the screening was organised as a public film viewing followed by a discussion. Lieutenant Colonel Jani Setiadi, Commander of Military District Command (Kodim) 1501 Ternate, stated that the military had monitored the event after observing widespread opposition on social media to the documentary's title and content. He emphasised that the decision to intervene was based on public concerns that the film could provoke social tensions. The commander requested that the organisers cancel the film screening, citing the sensitivity of issues relating to ethnicity, religion, race and inter-group relations (SARA) in North Maluku and the risk of politicisation. However, he permitted the organisers to proceed with the planned discussion without screening the documentary.
The intervention was strongly criticised by the Chairperson of the Ternate chapter of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), Yunita Kaunar. She stated that the screening formed part of the public's constitutional right to freedom of expression and access to information. According to Yunita Kaunar, the presence of security personnel throughout the event, including the photographing and documentation of organisers and participants, created an atmosphere of intimidation and psychological pressure reminiscent of past authoritarian practices. She further argued that the mere possibility of social disagreement could not lawfully justify the dispersal of a peaceful cultural event that contained no acts of incitement or violence. In her view, suppressing critical artistic works under the pretext of maintaining public order poses a serious threat to democratic freedoms.
The reported actions raise concerns regarding Indonesia's obligations under international human rights law. The peaceful screening of a documentary film and the associated public discussion fall within the scope of the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and participation in cultural life. Restrictions on these rights are permissible only where they are prescribed by law, pursue a legitimate aim and are necessary and proportionate. Preventive censorship based on anticipated public criticism or the possibility of controversy does not ordinarily satisfy these requirements. The reported intimidation of participants may also have had a chilling effect on the exercise of fundamental freedoms. Indonesian authorities should ensure that security forces refrain from interfering with peaceful assemblies and cultural events except where strictly justified under international human rights standards, and should guarantee that artists, journalists and civil society organisations are able to exercise their rights without intimidation or arbitrary interference.
Detailed case data
Document ID: HRM-CAS-080-2026
Region: Indonesia > North Maluku > Ternate
Total number of victims: dozens
1. Dozens, diverse unknown Activist, Journalist freedom of assembly, freedom of expression
Period of incident: 08/05/2026-08/05/2026
Perpetrator: Republic Indonesia > Indonesian Security Forces > Indonesian Military (TNI)
Perpetrator details: 1501/Ternate Military District Command
Issues: other
Source: https://humanrightsmonitor.org/case/military-disperses-documentary-film-screening-in-ternate