At the State Institute of Islamic Studies (IAIN) in Ambon, Indonesia, student magazine LPM Lintas was shut down in March 2022 after publishing the results of an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment at the university. The investigation relied on the testimony of dozens of students. The university’s rector subsequently issued a decree to close the magazine’s offices and confiscated its equipment. Media Defence is supporting four of the student journalists, who subsequently filed an application to the Administrative Court to overturn the rector’s decision and to reinstate the magazine.
The magazine’s investigation into allegations of sexual harassment
LPM Lintas began their investigation in 2017, interviewing alleged victims of sexual violence and university officials. Five years later, they published their findings in print and online: 32 accounts of alleged sexual assault and harassment – taking place between 2015 and 2022. The magazine claimed that they had identified 14 perpetrators, including 8 lecturers and 3 employees of the university. The attacks were alleged to have taken place on campus, on field trips, and at lecturers’ homes.
The situation for journalists in Indonesia
Though independent media has grown in Indonesia since the country’s emergence from dictatorship and censorship in 1998, harassment and attacks against journalists persist. Between 2019 and 2022, Amnesty International recorded at least 133 attacks against 225 journalists and media outlets. Those covering topics such as sexual assault, corruption, organised crime, and LGBTQ+ issues are particularly at risk of reprisals.
Student journalists physically assaulted & closure of the magazine
The day after the article was published, five men claiming to be relatives of one of the lecturers accused of sexual assault arrived at the magazine’s office. They physically assaulted student journalist Nurdin Kaisupy and designer Muh Febrianto, and smashed the office windows.
A few days later, the university’s rector announced the closure of the magazine with immediate effect. In his announcement, he ordered campus security to seal the newspaper’s offices and seize all equipment. The university also reported nine student journalists to the police, who were later summoned to provide ‘clarification’.
Following the university’s announcement, numerous organisations across Indonesia came forward in support of LPM Lintas. These include media bodies such as the Association of Indonesian Television Journalists and the Alliance of Independent Journalists Ambon, as well as universities and women’s movements.
IAIN Ambon asked LPM Lintas to disclose the names of the alleged victims and perpetrators referred to in the investigation. Yolanda Agne, the magazine’s editor, instead proposed that the university follow the 2019 recommendations of the Ministry of Religious Affairs in setting up a campus task force on sexual violence. IAIN Ambon did not follow this suggestion.
Students call for annulment of magazine closure
In July 2022, four of the students working for the magazine challenged the university rector’s decree by filing a complaint in the Ambon Administrative Court. They requested the annulment of the rector’s decision so that they are able to resume publishing LPM Lintas. They argued that the ban violates their right to freedom of expression as guaranteed by the Indonesian constitution.
Progression of legal proceedings & ongoing support for the students
The lawsuit was rejected on formal grounds at the first instance by the Administrative Court. It was also rejected on appeal. The students were also prevented from continuing their studies at IAIN Ambon due to their involvement in the legal proceedings. The case is now being appealed at the Supreme Court.
Pressure from civil society groups has resulted in the lifting of the students’ academic suspension. Additionally, a task force, for the Prevention and Handling of Sexual Violence, was established. This is an initiative which was previously resisted by the university. However, efforts to reinstate LPM Lintas continue.
The case has significant implications for the exercise of the rights to freedom of expression and the right to access information in Indonesia. The rejection of the case by the first and second instance courts, as well as the decision of the university’s rector to silence a student publication without a legal basis, sets a worrying precedent for other journalists in the region. A Supreme Court judgment reinstating LPM Lintas would provide a positive precedent against the arbitrary closure of similar outlets.
Recent News
14 Years After The Diappearance Of Journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda, His Family Continue The Fight For Answers
On 24 January 2010, just two days before a crucial presidential election in Sri Lanka, journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda disappeared. Since then, his wife, Sandya Ekneligoda, has tirelessly fought for a thorough investigation and for those responsible to be brought to justice. Yet, to date, no effective investigation has been carried out and no perpetrators have been held accountable. For 14 years, Sandya and her two sons have lived in uncertainty, hoping for Prageeth’s return with no resolution in sight. Throughout this prolonged ordeal, Sandya has faced persistent intimidation, threats and harassment for her efforts.
Prageeth, a well-known critic of the government, was last seen in the suburbs of Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital. As a cartoonist and columnist for the news website Lanka e News, he used his platform to expose corruption and speak out against abuses of power. His disappearance happened during a period of when widespread violence against journalists was recorded. From 2005 to 2015, dozens of journalists were murdered, assaulted, or disappeared, often in connection with their coverage of Sri Lanka’s 26-year civil war.
Initial Obstacles and Legal Efforts
Soon after Prageeth’s disappearance, Sandya encountered resistance from the authorities. In February 2010, after the police refused to register her missing person’s report, Sandya took legal action by filing a habeas corpus petition before the Sri Lankan Court of Appeal. Her petition requested that the authorities produce her husband in court. In response, the Court of Appeal directed a lower court, the Homagama Magistrate Court, to investigate the matter and report back.
Over the next few years, the Colombo Crime Division carried out a slow-moving inquiry that yielded no results. Meanwhile, government officials made baseless claims in 2011 and 2013, alleging that Prageeth was living abroad. These assertions were later discredited, and no substantial evidence was ever produced to support them.
Breakthroughs and Setbacks in the Investigation
In 2015, after a political shift ousted the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration, the investigation into Prageeth’s disappearance was revitalised and transferred to the Gang and Robberies Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). Witnesses came forward with testimonies indicating that Prageeth had been seen in an army camp after his abduction. The CID investigation found that a military intelligence unit was responsible for Prageeth’s disappearance and likely death and reported that the military failed to provide the necessary information to conduct a comprehensive investigation.
In November 2019, after more than 300 hearings, the Attorney General indicted nine military intelligence officers before the Colombo High Court on several charges related to Prageeth’s disappearance.
Political Interference and Continued Struggle
Despite this apparent progress, the path to justice has been repeatedly obstructed by political interference. Only days after the first hearing in the criminal case before Colombo High Court was held, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the former President’s brother and also former defence secretary, was elected president. Under Gotabaya’s administration, a Commission of Inquiry into Political Victimisation was established. Human Rights Watch criticised the commission, suggesting it was aimed at derailing investigations into the president’s relatives and allies.
All nine accused military intelligence officers filed complaints with the Commission, which ultimately recommended their acquittal of all charges, further delaying the case and denying justice to Prageeth’s family.
The trial remains ongoing despite many challenges, from retracted witness statements, and repeated delays in hearings to changes in judges. Additionally, the CID officer who has led the investigation into Prageeth’s disappearance has reportedly received death threats and fled the country.
A widespread issue
Prageeth’s disappearance is not an isolated event, but emblematic of a broader pattern of enforced disappearances that has affected Sri Lanka for decades. The country ranks among the highest in the world for enforced disappearances, with estimates suggesting that between 60,000 and 100,000 people have vanished since the late 1980s. These disappearances have been used as a tool to instil fear, suppress dissent, and maintain control.
Despite criminalising enforced disappearances in 2018, the Sri Lankan government’s efforts to aid affected families and uncover the truth have been criticised for their inconsistency and inefficacy.
The anguish of enforced disappearance extends far beyond the immediate act of abduction. For families like the Ekneligodas, the emotional toll is profound, leaving them in a state of constant uncertainty. Additionally, while men are most often the victims of enforced disappearances, it is frequently women who lead the search for truth after a loved one disappears. According to Amnesty International, women often face additional risks of persecution and violence while fighting for answers, as well as economic hardship due to the loss of their families’ primary earners.
The stories of individuals like Sandya and Prageeth highlight the urgent need for accountability and transparency. Addressing these abuses is essential to protecting human rights, including freedom of expression, and ensuring that those who seek justice are not silenced.
We recognise the strength and resilience of families who continue to search for their loved ones. Their courage is a powerful reminder to stand with them and to ensure their voices are heard and their demands for justice are met.
Media Defence is proud to support Sandya Ekneligoda’s legal efforts.
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