Dani Aswara, Jakarta – YF, a columnist for the news site detik.com, reportedly faced intimidation following the publication of his article, "Jenderal di Jabatan Sipil: Di Mana Merit ASN?" (General in Civilian Positions: Where is the ASN Merit?), which addressed the issue of military generals holding civilian posts.
The article, published on Thursday morning, May 22, 2025, was subsequently removed, with Detik.com citing concerns for the writer's safety.
"The editorial team removed this opinion article at the request of the writer, not based on a recommendation from the Press Council. The safety concerns are based on the testimony of the opinion writer," Detik.com stated on Friday, May 23, 2025.
Tempo contacted Detik.com's editor, Ajat Sudrajat, on Friday, May 23, 2025. While Ajat explained the incident, he did not permit his statement to be quoted. Nevertheless, Detik.com confirmed that the editorial team had removed YF's opinion piece at his request.
Detik.com retracted an earlier statement that had attributed the article's removal to a recommendation from the Press Council. "We apologize for this oversight," Detik.com stated on its website.
According to information received by Tempo, the writer was involved in two separate incidents with suspicious motorcyclists on Thursday, after the article was published. In the first incident, after dropping his child at school, he was grazed and pushed by two individuals wearing full-face helmets. In the afternoon, a similar event occurred with different perpetrators and motorcycles, again causing him to fall.
Feeling fearful and threatened, the writer requested the removal of his article. However, his initial request was denied, as the standard procedure for removing opinion articles requires a recommendation from the Press Council. Detik.com advised him to first file a complaint with the Press Council, which he did. To date, however, no official letter or recommendation has been issued by the Press Council.
AJI condemns intimidation of Detik.com columnist
Erick Tanjung, Advocacy Coordinator of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Indonesia, stated that this incident is a clear form of intimidation and an attempt to silence freedom of expression and opinion. He emphasized that the article offered a critical perspective on military involvement in civilian life.
"AJI considers the act of intimidation and article removal to be a pattern of repression reminiscent of past authoritarian practices, and a direct threat to democracy and constitutional rights," he said when contacted on Friday, May 23, 2025.
AJI strongly condemns all forms of silencing, whether against civilians or journalists. AJI urges the state, particularly President Prabowo Subianto, to intervene and address this issue. The organization calls on the state to ensure the protection of freedom of expression and to cease repressive actions that violate the constitution.