On 20 August 2022, Aliansi Jurnalis Indonesia sub regional chapter in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia held a discussion and campaign event titled “Urging the Revision of the ITE Law and the Elimination of Problematic Articles of the Criminal Code Bill Draft”.
The Electronic Information and Transactions Law (UU ITE) urgently needs to be revised, given the large number of people who have been ensnared in crime. The rubber articles of the ITE Law have also threatened/ensnared journalists in Southeast Sulawesi. However, until now, the revision of the ITE Law has not started and has the potential to be delayed. While the problems with the ITE Law have not been resolved, problematic articles also appear in other forms in the Draft Criminal Code (RUU KUHP). If left unchecked, freedom of expression will be threatened and there will be further victims from critical civil society circles.
This event was supported by FORUM-ASIA.
Through this event, five recommendations are made:
- Delete articles of insult in the proposed Draft Criminal Code because they can suppress the work of activists and journalists
- Clarify the limits of criticism and insults in the Draft Criminal Code
- Delete 19 problematic articles in the Draft Criminal Code
- Immediately revise the ITE Law because the articles in it are easy to use to criminalize the public, especially journalists.
- The public must be aware of the threats in the ITE Law and Draft Criminal Code that can ensnare anyone.
The full recommendation can be seen in AJI Instagram post
