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Indonesian journalists covering green issues are “frequently threatened or bribed,” Reporters Without Borders warned two months before the suspicious death of environmental journalist Muhammad Syaifullah.

The nongovernmental organization that advocates freedom of the press, in a June 9 statement posted on its Web site, said it was concerned about a journalist in Aceh who was forced into hiding after he was threatened by a military officer for writing about illegal logging.

“It is unacceptable just days after World Environment Day on 5 June that a journalist is being treated like this for writing about deforestation,” Reporters Without Borders said. “The Indonesian authorities, especially the defense minister, must react by punishing the army officer responsible for these threats.”

The organization identified the journalist as Ahmadi, who works for the local daily Harian Aceh.

In its recent report “Deforestation and pollution, high-risk subjects,” Reporters Without Borders, in its statement, noted that local and foreign journalists were frequently threatened or bribed in connection with their coverage of illegal logging in Indonesia, which leads the world in deforestation.

That statement continued that Ahmadi was warned by a local Army officer, Lt. Faisal Amin, not to write about alleged illegal logging on land belonging to local police.

When the article still appeared, Lt. Faisal invited Ahmadi to a military base. When he arrived his laptop and mobile phone were taken, Lt. Faisal discharged his weapon and he shouted: “You liar. You have humiliated me three times. I told you not to publish it but you insisted.”

“Lt. Amin then beat Ahmadi about the head, face and chest and threatened to kill his family if he did not retract the article’s claims. Ahmadi nonetheless refused and, after four hours of mistreatment, he was released. He filed a complaint at the Simeulue district police station before going to a hospital for treatment to his injuries,” the statement read.

No action was ever taken against Lt. Faisal, though soldiers were sent to protect Ahmadi’s family at their home.

Ahmadi, who has been living in hiding, far from his family, since the incident, told Reporters Without Borders: “I want justice to be done. I want my assailant to be tried before a civilian court. I also request protection for my family and myself during and after the trial. Despite the appointment of a new commander in the district of Simeulue and his attempts to reassure me about our safety, I am still worried.”