TEMPO JOURNALIST RECEIVES THREATS, INDONESIAN POLICE LAUNCH PROBE

By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar

JAKARTA, March 23 (Bernama) -- Indonesian police have launched an investigation after Tempo (Indonesian news magazine) journalist Francisca Christy Rosana, known as Cica, received a pig’s head in a package, followed by the discovery of six headless rats at the news outlet’s office in South Jakarta.

The country’s National Police Chief, General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, said he had ordered a full inquiry into the incident.

“I have directed the Chief of Criminal Investigation to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident at Tempo,” he stated in a statement.

The threats were first reported by Tempo’s Editor-in-Chief, Setri Yasra, to the Indonesian Journalists’ Safety Commission (KKJ) after a package was sent to Cica.

On March 21, the KKJ referred the case to the police’s Criminal Investigation Department.

Cica, a political desk journalist and host of Tempo’s political podcast Bocor Alus Politik, was the intended recipient of the first package, which contained a pig’s head.

It was addressed to her on March 19 but only reached her a day later, after she had completed her assignment.

On March 22, a second package containing six decapitated rats was found at the Tempo office by a cleaner at around 8 am local time.

The Indonesian Press Council condemned the threats, calling them an attack on press freedom.

“This is clearly an act of terror and intimidation aimed at instilling fear. Such actions are usually carried out by those who feel cornered but refuse to take responsibility,” said Press Council Chairperson Ninik Rahayu.

She urged critics of Tempo’s reporting to exercise their right of reply rather than resorting to threats.

Indonesia’s Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs, Meutya Hafid, stressed that press freedom is a fundamental pillar of democracy that must not be compromised.

She said President Prabowo Subianto’s administration was committed to protecting freedom of expression and ensuring that public criticism remains part of government policy.

“As a former journalist, I deeply regret any threats to press freedom. We fully support this case being investigated and legally processed by the police,” she added.

In 2024, Indonesian journalists continued to face significant threats and persistent challenges to press freedom, as highlighted by the Journalist Safety Index.

This index, compiled by the TIFA Foundation in collaboration with the Indonesian Media Development Association (PPMN), the Human Rights Working Group (HRWG), and research partner Populix, surveyed 760 journalists across the country.

The findings revealed that 24 per cent of journalists experienced terror and intimidation, 23 per cent received direct threats, 26 per cent faced bans on news reporting, and 44 per cent encountered reporting restrictions.

-- BERNAMA