Skepticism persists even as court decriminalizes insulting government
The Constitutional Court’s decision to scrap criminal penalties for insulting the government and state institutions has been applauded by activists, though they caution that the ruling alone remains insufficient to deter rising intimidation and criminalization against critics.
Even as the Constitutional Court eliminated criminal penalties for insulting the government and state institutions, doubts linger that this alone will curb the growing intimidation and criminalization of critics. A group of law students petitioned in December for the repeal of Articles 240 and 241 of the new Criminal Code, contending that the provisions could stifle public criticism and that legal safeguards should protect individuals, not institutions.
The court sided with the students, ruling that the government and state bodies should embrace public scrutiny rather than view it as an insult. Chief Justice Adies Kadir emphasized that these provisions risk undermining citizens' constitutional rights by potentially criminalizing legitimate criticism and evaluations. While activists hailed the decision as a victory for freedom of speech, they cautioned that the ruling must be accompanied by concrete steps to address the rise of intimidation against critics.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
