It’s often hard to separate the truths from the lies in information that gets spread during any election season. The 2014 Indonesian Presidential Election was certainly no exception, as supporters of the two candidates used all sorts of tactics – some unethical – to bring down their opponents.
Prosecutors for President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo argued that Setiyardi Budiono and Darmawan Sepriyosa, two men who started and ran a tabloid newspaper called “Tabloid Obor Rakyat” that was circulated during the 2014 Presidential Election season, used such tactics to criminally defame the then-presidential candidate. The two editors were accused of spreading lies about Jokowi by writing that he was a “puppet politician”, among other things.
The pair distributed the tabloid for free to several locations throughout Indonesia.
Jokowi’s campaign team eventually reported Setiyardi and Darmawan for defamation, and the pair were finally given their sentences in court yesterday after a long legal battle.
“The defendants are sentenced to 8 months in prison each,” said Judge Sinung Hermawan as he read out the sentence at the Central Jakarta District Court yesterday, as quoted by CNN Indonesia.
Setiyardi and Darmawan were both found guilty of violating Article 310 of the Criminal Code about defamation.
Despite its unfortunate implications for freedom of speech in Indonesia, the case serves as a reminder that defamation can be taken very seriously here and that violators can be punished severely.
More high-profile recent cases of defamation that are yet to be taken to court are Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama’s alleged blasphemy against Islam, musician-cum-politician Ahmad Dhani’s alleged calling of President Jokowi using profane words, and Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) leader Habib Rizieq’s alleged insult of the state symbol of Pancasila.
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