Indonesian Soldiers On Anti-FPI Operation Harass Kompas.com Reporter

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesian press freedoms have been put in the spotlight once again after Army soldiers taking down Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) banners featuring their head Rizieq Shihab in Jakarta confiscated the cell phone of a Kompas.com reporter covering the incident.

Reporter Nirmala Maulana said the incident occurred near the West Jakarta district of KS Tubun on November 20. “I took some photos of the operation on my cell phone before interviewing some locals in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta.” 

“Then one of the soldiers shoved me down to the ground near my motorcycle. Then another soldier arrived and asked me to delete the photos I took.” Nirmala added that one of the men confiscated his phone before he could delete the pictures.

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“A number of locals and soldiers saw the incident. I did not get to take a good look at the perpetrators,” he said.

“One of them told me to get my phone at the [Jakarta] Regional Military Command before they left. I then called [the Kompas.com newsroom] to report the incident.” Nirmala added that the military returned his phone.

Kompas.com Editor-in-Chief Wisnu Nugroho said the soldiers’ actions violated a 1999 law on press freedoms.

"All parties, particularly the security forces, should understand and comply [with the press laws]. We regret their actions because they obstructed the media as they were doing their jobs.” 

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If found guilty, the perpetrators face up to two years in jail or a Rp. 500 million []$35,296.10] fine.