Firda Janati, Akhdi Martin Pratama, Jakarta – The Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy believes that the closure of of a discussion forum in Kemang, South Jakarta, which was attended by a number of figures and activists, was a form of terror against freedom of expression.
"This was an act of terror against freedom of expression and threat to limited [democratic] space that is increasingly narrowing", said Setara Institute Executive Director Halili Hasan in a statement on Saturday October 1.
The police should be able to take decisive action to protect the freedom of expression of the people that were at the discussion. "The negligence committed by the state apparatus was a violation of human rights", he added.
The Setara Institute is urging the government, especially the police, to thoroughly investigate the closure of the discussion forum in Kemang.
"The closure in the Setara Institute's view represents a loud alarm indicating that civil freedoms are increasingly narrow in the midst of democracy which is declining", he added.
As reported previously, a discussion forum that was being held at the Grand Kemang hotel and was attended by a number of figures, including Constitutional Law Expert Refly Harun, was suddenly closed down by a group of people on Saturday September 28.
Harun said that the discussion forum, which was also attended by former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) commissioner Said Didu, former Special Forces (Kopassus) commander Major General Soenarko and a number of activists, was scheduled hold an evaluation of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration and what hopes lie with the next administration.
"When I arrived At 9 am, there was already someone giving a speech. Now, when the event was about to start, suddenly a group of people came to the venue to closed down the event by smashing things up", said Harun when contacted on Saturday.
Harun said that the event had not even started yet. However, the group of people that arrived were already giving speeches and demanded that the event be stopped immediately. As a result, the discussion forum was stopped even though it should have run until 2 pm.
"The event didn't go ahead, so we just stayed in the room, chatting, maintaining friendship ties, eating, just that. The event should have (finished) at 2 pm, we were asked to leave at 12 noon", he said.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Forum Diskusi FTA di Kemang Dibubarkan, Setara Institute: Teror terhadap Kebebasan Berekspresi".]
