Press freedom in Indonesia is under scrutiny after the offices of Tempo, a leading investigative magazine, were targeted with chilling intimidation tactics.
Activists and rights groups have condemned the acts and called for an urgent investigation.
Tempo, known for its critical stance on government policies, reported receiving a pig’s head and a box containing six decapitated rats at its Jakarta headquarters.
The publication has recently published articles scrutinizing the policies of President Prabowo Subianto, a former general with a controversial past linked to Indonesia’s Suharto-era human rights abuses.
“This is a dangerous and deliberate act of intimidation,” said Beh Lih Yi, head of the Asia program at the Committee to Protect Journalists. “Journalists in Indonesia must be able to do their work freely and safely without fear of retaliation.”
While no group has claimed responsibility, Amnesty International Indonesia’s executive director Usman Hamid warned that such intimidation could make journalism in Indonesia feel “like a death sentence.” Tempo’s editor-in-chief, Setri Yasra, vowed the magazine would not be silenced.
“If the intention is to scare, we are not deterred, but stop this cowardly act,” he declared.
Presidential spokesman Hasan Nasbi initially downplayed the incident, telling local media that the magazine should “just cook” the pig’s head. He later backtracked, emphasizing that press freedom should be upheld.
A Troubling History
Tempo has long been a symbol of resistance against government repression. It was banned twice under Suharto’s regime before re-emerging in the late 1990s after his downfall.
Prabowo, Suharto’s former son-in-law, has been accused of human rights violations, including the abduction of pro-democracy activists—allegations he denies.
