JakartaPost-March 21, 2025
Journalist protection in Indonesia remains weak, with media workers regularly facing a variety of workplace risks, including physical violence, legal threats, digital attacks and economic pressure, according to the latest Journalist Safety Index from the Tifa Foundation and pollster Populix. The report is based on a survey of 760 active journalists conducted between Oct. 30 and Dec. 6 of last year, including respondents from Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, Kalimantan, Bali, Nusa Tenggara, Papua and Maluku. “Data from the index reveals 321 incidents of violence against 167 journalists throughout 2024, highlighting the persistent gaps in journalist protection and the urgent need for stronger safeguards,” East Java Occupational Safety and Health Council deputy chair Edi Priyanto said on Wednesday. Edi stressed that journalists, as professional workers, are entitled to a safe working environment, which includes protection from violence by authorities or specific groups and access to personal protective equipment (PPE) when reporting in high-risk zones. “Journalists also deserve adequate psychosocial support to manage the mental strain from threats or censorship, as well as robust legal protection to prevent criminalization for simply doing their jobs,” he added. Edi urged media companies to strengthen protection for their journalists, pointing out that the survey gave Indonesian news organizations a score of only 73 out of 100 for their efforts to protect their workers. Edi emphasized that government support for press workers remains insufficient, with a score of just 64 out of 100. Press Council member Abdul Manan noted that Indonesia’s press freedom ranking has remained largely stagnant globally, with Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranking the country 111th out of 180 nations in 2024. “While this is an improvement from 2019, when Indonesia was ranked 124th, it is a significant decline compared to 2002, when it was ranked 57th,” he said. Read more at:
https://www.thejakartapost.com/indonesia/2025/03/21/protection-for-journalist-safety-remains-weak-in-indonesia-survey.html.
