Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – The Executive Director of the Legal Aid Institute for the Press or LBH Pers, Mustafa Layong, stated that the terror of sending animal carcasses to Tempo is a form of threat to journalistic work. He urged the government not to take the series of attacks on the press lightly.
"This terror should not be taken lightly. How many attacks have resulted in the loss of lives that began with such acts of terror," said Mustafa when contacted on Saturday, March 22, 2025.
Mustafa stated that Hasan Nasbi's remarks regarding the terror experienced by Tempo indicate the government's lack of understanding of the Press Law and democratic principles. In addition, he assessed that the government is indifferent to the safety of its citizens, especially journalists working for the public interest," he said.
Previously, the Head of the Presidential Communications Office, Hasan Nasbi, stated that there was no need to exaggerate the terror incidents. He made this response when asked about the terror of sending a pig's head to Tempo journalist Francisca Christy Rosana, or affectionately known as Cica.
Instead, Nasbi joked that the pig's head sent to the Tempo office should be cooked. According to him, Cica also responded to the terror of sending the pig's head with a joke. "I saw Cica's social media. She asked for the pig's meat to be sent. This means she does not feel threatened," he said at the Presidential Palace complex on Friday, March 21, 2025.
Last week, Tempo experienced two instances of terror in the form of animal carcass sent by unknown individuals. The first incident occurred on March 19, 2025.
At that time, the Tempo editorial office received a package containing a pig's head without ears. The package was sent by a courier wearing a delivery app attribute.
The Tempo editorial office received a second delivery, a box containing the carcass of a decapitated rat. Tempo's cleaning staff found a box containing six rats on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at 08:00 AM WIB.
The Editor-in-Chief of Tempo, Setri Yasra, stated that the delivery of the rat carcasses further clarifies the terror against the Tempo editorial office. Prior to the rat carcass, Tempo received a threat via social media through the Instagram account @derrynoah on March 21, 2025. The account controller stated that they would continue to send terror. The narrative read, "until your office perishes".
According to Setri, the rat carcasses delivery is an act of terror against the work of the media and freedom of the press. "The sender intentionally terrorizes journalists' work," she said. "If the goal is to scare us, we are not afraid but stop these cowardly actions."