ELSAM and Academic Network Launch the Book of Freedom Of Expression to Respond the Freedom Situation in Indonesia
ELSAM, Jakarta –The technology development era has become the challenge in the protection of human rights. It was triggered by the fact that internet has become a new medium of freedom of expression, which also has a radical impact against the enjoyment of the right. In Indonesia, the threat of freedom of expression has raised due to the massiveness of the cases on the violations of freedom of expression, both conventionally and through online. In spite of that, the implementation of the freedom is the essential element in life as a citizen of a nation. Such situation was worsened by the lack of knowledge and information of the society related to the protection of the right.
As to respond to the lack of knowledge discourse, ELSAM jointly with Academic network launched a book of freedom of expression entitled “Freedom of Expression in Indonesia: Law, Dynamics, Problems and Challenges”, on 17 March 2016 in Hotel Oria, Jakarta. The book analyzed deeper the main topics on freedom of expression and right to privacy which are interconnected. It began with the law on freedom of expression including its protection and restriction, freedom of press which delivers the dynamic and recent updates, right to privacy as a regulation needs and threat complexity, and online freedom of expression related to the challenges of policy reform.
Other than the book launching, the book discussion was also held. In the discussion, Human Rights National Commission (Komnas HAM) commissioner, Roichatul Aswidah, affirmed that government plays important role to make policies which protect the enjoyment of freedom of expression.
“The broader characteristic of internet gives consequences of cross-border information. In this case, the role of government in the form of policies is significant to restrict the right to expression in terms of protecting the existence of the right itself,” Roichatul explained as one of the discussants in the discussion. According to her, the restriction of the expression can only be sentenced to the hate speech and provocation of violence
Other than Roichatul, there are few resource persons of the discussion who become the discussants, among others, Deputy V of Presidential Staff Office (KSP) Jaleswari Pramodhawardani, senior researcher of LIPI Syamsudin Haris, and Executive Director of Indonesian Survey Agency (LSI) Kuskrido Ambardhi.
According to Jaleswari Pramodhawardani, the protection of freedom of expression cannot be detached from the government political situation. “Freedom of expression does not exist in empty space, but it is closely related to political situation. This describes how the protection of freedom clearly depicts the situation of democracy in our country,” she said.
Responding her statement, Syamsuddin Haris said that it need to protect the freedom of expression which is closely related to the democracy practice.
“After reform, the democracy is only structural. The pattern of relationship between state and its citizen has not changed. State still considers the society as the source of problem. This paradigm can cause the lack of protection for freedom of expression in Indonesia,” Harris added. The discussion later concluded that the existence of democracy can only be conducted by consolidated civil society, which will be able to oversee when the state protects the freedom of expression of the citizen.
