Journalists Silenced: Violence and Interference Disrupt the Protests of August 25-30, 2025

Jakarta, September 1, 2025 — The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) condemns the violence and interference faced by journalists covering the protests from August 25–30, 2025.

The incident occurred amid escalating protests and law enforcement brutality, which also included looting. This situation not only caused harm to citizens but also placed journalists in a vulnerable position while covering the events.

The situation escalated on August 25, 2025, in Jakarta and subsequently spread to several other regions, continuing to this day. These protests are a response from citizens to the reckless policies of the government, the President, the House of Representatives (DPR), and law enforcement agencies (TNI/POLRI).

Regrettably, the aspirations of citizens were met with a violent response from the police. This included tear gas, a tactical Mobile Brigade (Brimob) vehicle running over and hitting online motorcycle taxi drivers, instances of violence, mob attacks, and the arrests of citizens, including journalists.

AJI has recorded 60 cases of violence against journalists and media from January 1 to August 31, 2025. This includes terror, intimidation, and digital attacks on media websites and social media accounts. The perpetrators of most of these attacks and acts of violence are suspected to be from military and police institutions.

In the past week, AJI has received multiple reports of violence against journalists covering protests at the DPR Senayan building and the Brimob Headquarters in Kwitang, Jakarta. Bayu Pratama S., a photojournalist from news agency Antara, experienced violence while covering a protest at the DPR building in Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday, August 25, 2025. Additionally, two photojournalists from Tempo and Antara were attacked by unknown individuals while reporting on a protest near the Brimob Headquarters in Kwitang, Central Jakarta, on Thursday evening, August 28, 2025.

On the same day, a journalist from Jurnas.com was intimidated while filming the chaotic protests at the DPR Senayan Building in Jakarta on Thursday evening.

Meanwhile, two reporters in Denpasar, Bali, were intimidated and subjected to violence by officials while covering protests at the Bali Regional Police (Polda Bali) and the Bali Regional House of Representatives (DPRD Bali).

On the early morning of Saturday, August 30, 2025, eight journalists in Jambi found themselves trapped near the High Prosecutor's Office (Kejati) building while covering ongoing protests. A crowd, which had been demonstrating at the Jambi Provincial DPRD building, surged into the area around the Kejati building. During the chaos, an unknown individual set fire to the official car of the Editor-in-Chief of Tribun Jambi, which was parked out front.

Later, in the early hours of Sunday, August 31, 2025, a journalist from TV One was arrested, beaten, and intimidated while live-streaming on his social media account. Additionally, a student journalist was attacked with acid while reporting on events at the Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Regional Police (Polda Metro Jaya).

These incidents contribute to the extensive list of violence against journalists in Indonesia. Amid the rising socio-political turmoil, the public needs accurate, independent, and trustworthy coverage.

In addition to violence, journalists and media outlets in Indonesia also face prohibitions and restrictions from both individuals and government agencies. The media has been urged to present "calm" and "peaceful" news about the mass protests, which starkly contrasts with the reality on the ground. Furthermore, the media has been "advised" not to live-stream events. Such measures can hinder press freedom and compromise the media's independence in conveying information directly to the public. It is vital that the media operates without pressure from any party to ensure the maintenance of democracy and freedom of expression.
Another consequence is that the public is increasingly seeking information through social media, where the truth is questionable and feared to mislead a public that has not yet become digitally literate.

AJI perceives the prohibitions and restrictions on the press as efforts to silence journalists, who play a crucial role in providing the public with accurate information. AJI Indonesia, therefore, clearly states its position:

1. We condemn all violence and intimidation against journalists. Law enforcement must thoroughly investigate the human rights violations that occur during protests.

2. We demand the arrest and prosecution of perpetrators of such violence, including any officials involved. 

3. We condemn attempts to silence journalists, as these restrictions on media work contribute to the spread of disinformation and hoaxes, which can alarm the public.

4. We urge all parties to respect journalistic work and refrain from obstructing journalists in their reporting on protests.

5. All stakeholders, including police officials and companies, must acknowledge that journalists' work is protected under Law No. 40 of 1999 concerning the Press. Any act of violence against journalists constitutes a violation of this law and undermines democracy.

In the midst of overwhelming information and an uncertain environment, journalists and credible journalism serve as the primary defense against hoaxes and disinformation.

The current attempts to silence the media and various platforms echo the repressive practices of the New Order era.

AJI emphasizes that press freedom is essential for democracy and cannot be negotiated.

Jakarta, September 1, 2025
Nany Afrida, President of AJI Indonesia
Erick Tanjung, Head of Advocacy for AJI Indonesia