Indonesian National Police Under Fire for FPI Circular

While the Police stood by the article, Police spokesman Inspector General Argo Yuwono maintained that they “will not object if the public accessed [FPI’s] content, as long as they do not use it for misinformation, cause disturbances, or create division.”

Indonesian National Police Chief General Idham Azis issued the circular on Friday, January 1.

Aside from warning the public not to “access, download, and distribute the FPI’s content through websites or social media,” the document also cautioned the public against “directly or indirectly supporting or facilitating the FPI’s activities, as well as using their [outlawed] symbols and attributes.”

The police also “urged the public to report any FPI attributes or activities, and to comply with the law at all times.” The circular also gave the Police the discretion to act accordingly if they found any violations of the circular.

The document also affirmed the Public Order Agency [Satpol PP’s] role in backing up the military and police in destroying FPI banners, pamphlets and other items.

(Writers : Haryanti Puspa Sari, Nicholas Ryan Aditya | Editors: Bayu Galih, Dani Prabowo)

Sources: 

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/01/02/21210021/anggota-komisi-iii-minta-maklumat-kapolri-soal-konten-fpi-diperbaiki?page=all#page2. 

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/01/02/14251841/sejumlah-organisasi-masyarakat-sipil-sebut-maklumat-kapolri-soal-fpi-batasi?page=all#page3. 

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/01/02/15233021/polri-jelaskan-soal-larangan-konten-fpi-dalam-maklumat-kapolri?page=all#page2.