The International Federation
of Journalists (IFJ) welcomes the successful mediation of a dispute between Indonesia’s
police forces and Tempo magazine by the country’s Press Council.
The June 28 issue of Tempo featured an illustration showing a
uniformed policeman with piggy banks on its cover, for the story “Fat Bank
Accounts of Police Officers”, on alleged suspicious bank accounts held by
several high-ranking police officers.
The caricature prompted Indonesia’s
police headquarters to file criminal defamation charges againstthe magazine with the
Police Criminal Unit, an institution under the authority of the national
police.
“The IFJ is pleased that mediation between the two parties by the
Indonesian Press Council, an action recommended by our affiliate, the Alliance of Independent
Journalists (AJI), has resulted in a successful outcome for all involved,” IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park said.
“It was regrettable that police did
not first follow procedures stipulated under Press Law No. 40/1999, which allows
for right of reply or to file a complaint with the Indonesian Press Council,” Park
said.
For further information
contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +612
9333 0919
The IFJ
represents more than 600,000 journalists in 125 countries
Find the
IFJ on Twitter: @ifjasiapacific