Freedom of Speech & Expression

December 2005

News/Indonesia
Detik.com – December 5, 2005

Gede Suardana, Denpasar – A sentence of five months jail and 10 months probation is being sought by the prosecution for 12 Udayana University students from the People’s Struggle Front for Democracy (Front Perjuangan Rakyat untuk Demokrasi, Frontier).

News/Indonesia
Detik.com – December 4, 2005

Supriyono Pangribowo, Jakarta – The offence of insulting the president is being used again. This time an activist from the Indonesian National Student Movement (GMNI), Monang Johanes Tambunan, has been charged for making a rude remark about President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

November 2005

News/Indonesia
Tempo Interactive – November 27, 2005

Imron Rosyid, Solo – Police assisted by members of the TNI (Indonesian military) broke up actions by three student groups and workers who were holding demonstrations to greet the arrival of Vice President Jusuf Kalla at the Indonesian Teachers Union anniversary commemoration in Solo on Sunday November 27.

September 2005

News/Indonesia
Media Indonesia – September 27, 2005

Shanties, Jakarta – Indonesian police have identified the presence of infiltrators in social groups who will demonstrate against fuel price increases on October 1. It is suspected the infiltrators will provoke the pubic during demonstrations and incite them into anarchistic acts.

May 2005

News/Indonesia
Tempo Interactive – May 12, 2005

Ayu Cipta-Tempo, Jakarta – Bay Harkat Jonday Firdaus, a sixth semester English literature student from the faculty of culture and humanities at the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN) in Ciputat, South Jakarta, could face 10 months jail for insulting the head of state.

March 2005

News/Indonesia
Tempo Interactive – March 7, 2005

Darlis M., Palu – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s warning not to act violently against demonstrations opposing fuel price increases appears to be only words. Police in the Central Sulawesi city of Palu were unable to restrain themselves, attacking and beating students who were demonstrating in the centre of the city.

February 2005

News/Indonesia
Detik.com – February 26, 2005

Budi Sugiharto, Surabaya – A declaration of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya has been marred by a fist fight. Six youths, supporters of PDI-P chairperson former President Megawati Sukarnoputri, forcibly broke up the event.