Indonesia's Tempo magazine, known for its hard-hitting journalism and strong criticism of the country's government, received two separate packages containing dead animals on March 19 and March 22. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, Alliansi Journalis Independen (AJI) in condemning the obscene act of intimidation against the outlet and urges the Indonesian government to do more to protect media freedom in the country.
On March 19, security staff for the Tempo news outlet in Jakarta received a cardboard box containing a severed pig's head with its ears cut off. The package was addressed to Francisco Christy Rosana, a female journalist covering politics and regular host of the popular Bocur Alus Politik (BAP) podcast. The same day, protestors gathered outside the offices of the Indonesia Press Council, accusing the magazine of acting in favour of a "foreign agent", billionaire philanthropist George Soros. The attack comes just weeks after President Prabowo Subianto openly condemned foreign-funded media outlets and alleged they are trying to "divide" the country. Three days later, on March 22, cleaners at the outlet found another package containing six headless rat carcasses.
Chief executive of Tempo's digital team, Wahyu Dhyatmika, said described it as a terror attack to "scare and silence" the outlet into self-censorship. Alongside the packages, the outlet's social media platforms were flooded with hoax content targeting the BAP podcast and using the names of other activists in their posts, including former AJI chairperson, Sasmito Madrim. Tempo reported this week that the National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo has instructed the National Police's Detectives to investigate the case.
The perpetrators, if found, are likely to be charged with the criminal act of violence threat and/or obstruction of journalistic work under Article 18, Paragraph (1) of Law No. 40 (1999). Indonesia's Press Council has urged law enforcement authorities to thoroughly investigate the attack, saying that failure to do so would undoubtedly see other threats occur. Established as an independent news magazine in 1971, Tempo has actively covered investigative news and political commentaries – with the outlet banned under the New Order of the President Suharto and Information Minister Harmoko in 1994 as a "threat to national stability". In 1998, the outlet relaunched in Jakarta, drawing together over 2000 journalists, politicians, government ministers and diplomats. Another case of intimidation against the outlet last year, BAP journalist Hussein Abri Dongoran's vehicle was vandalised by unidentified attackers on August 5, 2024.
AJI said: "Every journalist has the right to work without fear or pressure in fulfilling their role as social watchdogs and holding those in power accountable. AJI also urges the media community, civil society organizations, and the public to stand in solidarity against all forms of intimidation directed at journalists."
The IFJ said: "This grotesque act of intimidation against journalists from Tempo is a serious and alarming threat to press freedom in Indonesia and must be seriously probed and the perpetrators and masterminds found. The Subianto government must uphold democracy and safeguard media professionals in the course of their duties."
For further information contact IFJ Asia – Pacific on ifj@ifj-asia.org
The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 140 countries