Arya Dipa, Bandung/Jakarta – A student press group in Bandung, West Java, has refused to bow to pressure from an intimidating hard-line group that had dispersed the former's Sekolah Marx (School of

Jewel Topsfield, Jakarta – You know the paranoia about a communist revival in Indonesia has jumped the shark when the nation's netizens start parodying it on social media.

Jakarta – A group of Indonesian students abroad have condemned recent seizures of leftist books in their homeland.

Iqbal T.

Selfy Momongan (Magang), Jakarta – The recent raids against Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) related paraphernalia and books have attracted the special attention of the National Library (Perpusnas)

Elly Burhaini Faizal, Jakarta – It was not anticipated that a vibrant celebration of 2016 World Press Freedom Day in Yogyakarta on May 3 would lead to chaotic scenes and scuffles between journalist

Ayomi Amindoni – The ASEAN Literary Festival 2016 continues as its second day on Friday saw a varied discussion about voicing social issues despite protests from several groups at the festival's op

Siswanto, Welly Hidayat – Islamic demonstrators have protested against the 3rd Asean Literary Festival (ALF) 2016 which is to be held today Thursday May 5 at the Ismail Marzuki Cultural Centre in C

A local group is organizing demonstrations against this year's ASEAN Literary Festival (ALF), accusing the event's organizers of having "ulterior motives".

Sydney (The Australian/Pacific Media Watch) – Timor-Leste Prime Minister Rui de Araujo has lashed out at Western critics, saying their nations had "acquiesced" to the 24 years of Indonesian occupat

Erika Anindita Dewi – The government and the House of Representatives will focus on an article on defamation in the amendment of the 2008 Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law, as both

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is concerned by the Indonesian police's failure to protect and ensure the right to freedom of expression and assembly of various groups over the past two mo

Bambang Muryanto – Rights group Peaceful Yogyakarta Solidarity Forum have denounced the recent attempt by Islamic organizations and police personnel to forcefully disband Lady Fast 2016, an art eve

Arya Dipa, Bandung – After failing to be staged a day earlier because of pressure from a hardline group, a monologue performance about national hero Tan Malaka was eventually presented on Thursday

Tia Agnes, Jakarta – A monolog performance titled "Tan Malaka: I am a Red Haired Deer" should have been held by a theater group from the West Java provincial capital of Bandung at the Main Theater

Arya Dipa, Bandung, West Java – Indonesian Francais Indonesia (IFI), the French cultural center in Bandung, West Java, and a Bandung-based theater group, Mainteater, canceled the monolog theater pe

Ina Parlina, Jakarta – Freedom of expression in the country is in jeopardy, rights groups have warned, as the nation witnessed numerous cases of criminalization over alleged defamation in the past

Jakarta – After a recent rise in cases concerning freedom of expression throughout the country, the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM) has called on the government to guarantee the

Jakarta – Dangdut singer Zaskia Gotik was reported to the Jakarta Police on Thursday for allegedly insulting Pancasila, the five principles of the national ideology, and Indonesia's Independence Da

Dewanti A. Wardhani, Jakarta – Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) located in Cikini, Central Jakarta, has long been a safe haven for artists and activists to express themselves.

Corry Elyda and Agnes Anya, Jakarta – Despite threats and a venue change, the screening of the documentary film entitled Pulau Buru Tanah Air Beta continued on and received an abundance of support

Jakarta – Signs of the rise or reemergence of communism in Indonesia termed New Style Communism (Komunisme Gaya Baru, KGB) is apparent in a variety of different forms.

Nurul Fitri Ramadhani, Jakarta – The government has tried to meet public demand by proposing the amendment of several draconian articles in the 2008 Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) La

Marguerite Afra Sapiie, Jakarta – Facebook has suspended an Indonesian woman's account after she posted a series of historical photos of local women, based on numerous reports of "nudity" and "expl

Hanis Maketab – Facebook has suspended the account of a young Indonesian woman who posted historical photos of local women to protest the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission's censoring of a beauty

Timor Leste's prime minister has filed a defamation suit against a journalist, who learned of the legal action against him last month.

Fedina S. Sundaryani, Jakarta – Two antigraft activist from Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) have defied a police summons as part of a defamation probe into them.

Fedina S.

Bambang Muryanto, Yogyakarta – Activists have chastised the government for its apparent reluctance to remove an article on libel from the 2008 Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law.

Haeril Halim, Jakarta – The National Police have opened an investigation into Erwin Natosmal Oemar of the Indonesian Legal Roundtable (ILR) after he criticized the police during a televised talk sh

Bambang Muryanto, Yogyakarta – Academic freedom and freedom of expression are under threat in Yogyakarta as several universities have reportedly bowed to pressure from hard-line Islamic organizatio

Jakarta – Jakarta State University (UNJ) Student Executive Board (BEM) head Ronny Setiawan was expelled from the university due to remarks he made on social media platform Twitter about the univers

National – The government has been urged to carry out comprehensive revision of the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law by removing the pasal karet (catchall articles), pa

Egi Adyatama, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) said that the state had misused laws on the freedom of expression and the liberty of associa

Dylan Amirio, Jakarta – Communications and Information Technology Minister Rudiantara says a draft of the revision of the controversial clause 27 of the Electronic Information and Trans

Ina Parlina, Jakarta – Legal activists on Sunday slammed a contempt of court draft bill for limiting reports on court proceedings and judges.

Jakarta – Legal experts and activists have slammed a bill that proposes penalizing anyone criticizing court proceedings, including journalists, with contempt of court.

Jakarta – The Association of Journalists for Diversity (Sejuk) has criticized a recent National Police circular on hate speech, warning that it could pose a threat to minority groups an

Reports from Indonesia's Papua region indicate up to four people have been shot by police and military as the security forces cracked down on people marking West Papuan Flag Day.

Jakarta – Critic directed toward the government is not considered hate speech, National Police chief Gen.

Marguerite Afra Sapiie, Jakarta – The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) has urged the National Police not to include criticism of the government in its definition of hate speech as that wou

Tama Salim, Jakarta – Civil society groups have warned National Police chief Gen.

National – Two noted lawyers have demanded that the National Police immediately revoke a recently issued circular on hate speech, saying it could cause misperceptions in society, particularly becau

Jakarta – The Chairman of Indonesia's Press Council has criticized a circular issued by the National Police ordering a crackdown on hate speech, saying that it could be used to curb democracy and f

Arientha Primanita, Jakarta – The National Police ordered all of their personnel to anticipate any potential conflicts in society caused by hate speech.

Indonesia's freedom of expression and critical thinking are under attack.

Gorontalo – The Gorontalo District Court has sentenced Gorontalo governor Rusli Habibie to eight months in jail after being found guilty in a defamation case filed by former Gorontalo Police chief

Hasyim Widhiarto, Jakarta – Defying public pressure, the North Maluku Police have reiterated that they will continue their investigation into alleged defamation by a local activist who uploaded to

Jakarta – The police in Ternate have ignored public outcry and demands for the release of Adlun Fiqri, a student arrested for uploading a video of a police officer accepting money from a road-rules

Jakarta – Police in Ternate, North Maluku, triggered a firestorm of outrage on social media after arresting and charging a university student for slander after he uploaded a video on YouTube purpor