Anita Rachman & Ismira Lutfia

Journalists Push for Free Expression and Equality in Indonesia

Anew set of principles on freedom of expression and equality was introduced on Thursday in Jakarta in the hope that they would receive wider public acceptance, especially within the media and government.

The principles, called the Camden Principles, are based on the idea that freedom of expression and equality are fundamental rights and are intimately linked to pluralism and diversity, two points recognized as strongly characteristic of Indonesia, one of the reasons the first regional introduction took place here.

The event was organized locally by the Alliance of Independent Journalists in cooperation with Article 19, an independent human rights organization responsible for drawing up the principles.

Toby Mendel, a senior legal counsel for Article 19, said there were four main areas of Camden Principles: An overview of the key international standards regarding freedom of expression and equality; the right to be heard and to speak, which includes diversity in the media; the need for legal and social measures to promote greater intercultural understanding; and the legitimate restrictions on harmful speech, including hate speech.

“Freedom of expression can often clash with other fundamental matters such as equality, reputation and the common good,” AJI chairman Nezar Patria said. “In Indonesia, we have faced this dilemma in the recent reporting on terrorism.”

As an example, Nezar noted that some media outlets portrayed terrorist Noordin M Top as a hero. While protected under the right to freedom of expression, it conflicts with the common good.

Referring to the perspectives outlined in the Camden Principles may help find solutions to these sorts of clashes of rights.

Seasoned journalist Bambang Harymurti, who participated in the meetings to develop the principles, recommended they be adopted by the public.

Bambang said that even though the principles might seem too liberal for Indonesia, they could be used as a starting reference for cases involving disputes about freedom of expression.

He said it would be good if lawmakers could use the principles to obtain a broader perspective on the basic issues in society, which could help them produce laws that accommodate the public interest, while not forgoing freedom of expression.

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