Nurul Fitri Ramadhani, Jakarta – Activists and journalists have urged the government and the House of Representatives to scrap articles in the amendment draft of the Law on the Criminal Code (KUHP) that may violate press freedom and incriminate journalists.
Article 329 of the amendment bill stipulates that "a maximum of five years' imprisonment can be given as punishment to anyone who publishes or allows the publication of anything that could affect the impartiality of judges in a court hearing."
"The article could threaten the freedom of press and expression guaranteed by the Constitution," Nawawi Bahrudin, the executive director of the Legal Aid Institute for Press (LBH Pers), said on Monday.
"This article also implies that judges can be influenced by the public or the media, while ideally judges and the court must be able to remain independent and not be influenced by anything," he added.
He said the article contradicts Article 4 of the 1999 Press Law, which stipulates that press freedom is guaranteed as a human right and that the national press should not be subject to censorship or broadcasting bans.
The Press Law article also emphasizes that the press has the right to seek, obtain and disseminate ideas and information. The House has deliberated over the KUHP revision bill for two years. (foy/bbs)