Tatang Guritno, Jakarta – Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) Chairperson Muhammad Isnur says that he deplores the Communication and Information Ministry (Kominfo) decision to block 10 websites and online games.
This is the aftermath of the enforcement of Communication and Information Ministry Regulation (Perkominfo) Number 5/2020 on Private Electronic System Operators (PSE).
"Until when will Kominfo keep making policies without basing them on constitutional rights and human rights?", said Isnur in a press release on Saturday July 30.
In Isnur's view, the regulation not only talks about the issue of registering specific applications or website but goes further with several of the stipulations in the regulation having the potential to violate the public's right to privacy.
"Such as arbitrarily removing content and providing access to private accounts to the state", he said.
Isnur feels that the Minister must learn from the case of the blocking of the internet in Papua which occurred in 2019.
"They (Kominfo) were clearly declared to have violated the law [by the Jakarta's State Administrative Court in June 2020] because they blocked [the internet in Papua] and violated netizens' rights. Eh, this time they are still doing the same thing", he asserted.
Earlier, the Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (Safenet) criticised the PSE regulation.
In a press release received by Kompas.com on July 19, Safenet freedom of expression division head Nenden Sekar Arum said that the Perkominfo 20/2020 had the potential to silence expression and public opinion.
Arum highlighted Article 9 Paragraphs (3) and (4) in the regulation which use the phrase "cause public unrest" and "disturb public order" which do not have clear definitions.
The Communication and Information Ministry however has declared that the blocking of specific applications and websites are temporary. Access will be restored if the companies complete the process of registering with the electronic system and send a notification of being registered as a private PSE to the email address aduanpseprivat@kominfo.go.id.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Kominfo Blokir 10 Situs, YLBHI: Mau Sampai Kapan Bikin Kebijakan Tanpa Landasan HAM?".]
