The perpetrators should be brought to court, and the police should expose this assault case that has violated the mandate of Law No. 40 of 1999 on the Press, Chairman of IJTI-Labuhanbatu Raya Chapter Fachrizal Lubis stated.
Speaking to journalists here on Wednesday, Lubis remarked that the assault on Teuku Dedi Iskandar has demonstrated a crisis of knowledge on information transparency in a democratic state such as Indonesia.
Delivering the truth to the public through credible media reports is part of the implementation of the principle of social control that the press law has guaranteed, he pointed out.
"Hence, we condemn the violent attack on Teuku Dedi Iskandar. May the police be able to uncover this case immediately and arrest the perpetrators," Lubis remarked.
In response to this case, acting Aceh Governor Nova Iriansyah also denounced the assault and called on the law enforcers to bring to trial all perpetrators.
The perpetrators should receive punishment in line with the laws and regulations by taking into account the importance of the press in democracy, Nova had earlier remarked.
Teuku Dedi Iskandar, a journalist at Indonesia's national news agency ANTARA, was subject to assault by several people in Meulaboh over the news reports that he had recently made.
Iskandar opined that the attackers might have held personal opinions on his prepared news items.
Iriansyah affirmed that all journalists in the country are protected under Law No. 40 of 1999 on the Press while conducting their professional duties.
If problems arose from their journalistic works, they must be resolved by respecting the press law and journalists' code of ethics, he emphasized.
"The use of violence in solving the problems must be avoided. The existing laws and regulations should be enforced," he noted.
Following the violent attack, ANTARA journalist Iskandar had to be hospitalized at Cuk Nyak Dhien Public Hospital in Meulaboh. Related news: Police urged to investigate violence against journalists in Palu
Related news: Police to investigate violence against journalists
EDITED BY INE
Translator: juraidi, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2020
