Suara.com – Director Dandy Laksono, along with three constitutional law experts Zainal Arifin Mochtar, Bivitri Susanti, and Feri Amsari who appeared in the documentary film 'Dirty Vote' were reported to the police on suspicion of black campaigning.
Chair of AJI Indonesia's Advocacy Division, Erick Tanjung, who is part of the Civil Society Coalition, condemned this criminalization effort.
“The Civil Society Coalition consisting of 12 organizations condemns the move by the Central Leadership Council of the Indonesian Santri Communication Forum (DPP Foksi) to report the director and three constitutional law experts who performed the documentary film 'Dirty Vote' to the National Police Headquarters,” said Erick in a statement to Suara.com , Tuesday (13/2/2024).
The Community Coalition views the transfer effort as a form of silencing civil society who criticize the implementation of the elections.
“This step is an effort to silence parties who reveal allegations of election fraud and hamper the public's right to access information and public participation in carrying out social control over the implementation of the 2024 elections,” said Erick.
Erick said, in the DPP Foksi's report, he accused Dandy and three constitutional law experts of violating Article 287 paragraph (5) of Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning Elections.
The reporter argued that Dandy and his friends carried out a black campaign against one of the presidential and vice presidential candidates through 'Dirty Vote.' They refer to its release during the quiet period of the 2024 election campaign.
Dirty Vote Film Facts (instagram/@dandhy_laksono)
False Accusations
“All the accusations made by DPP Foksi are false. First, the Dirty Vote documentary was actually produced collaboratively by journalists and civil society organizations including AJI, Bangsa Mahardhika, New Indonesia Expedition, Ekuatorial, Indonesian People's Faction, Greenpeace, ICW, JATAM, Jeda “for Climate, KBR, LBH Pers, Lokataru, Tulisem, Salam 4 Jari, Satya Bumi, Themis Indonesia, WALHI, Dewi Justice Foundation, Kurawal Foundation and YLBHI. Funding for this film also came from donations from individuals and civil society organizations,” said Erick in denial. firm.
Then, the article linked by the reporter was also deemed irrelevant. Erick explained that the provisions in Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning Elections, especially Article 280 paragraphs one to four concerning prohibitions on election campaigns, do not at all prohibit the disclosure or publication of facts of election violations such as those revealed in Dirty Vote.
“The attempt to portray Dirty Vote as a black campaign is a form of delegitimization of the criticism and facts presented in the film,” he stressed.
Erick also emphasized this. Dirty Vote was not created to benefit or harm participants in the 2024 Election. On the contrary, he said, it is a critical study based on facts that have been previously published in various journalistic works.
“All the presidential and vice presidential candidates who contributed to alleged forms of fraud in the 2024 election are mentioned in the almost 2 hour film,” explained Erick.
Therefore, the Civil Society Coalition expressed its stance on the legal efforts taken by DPP Foksi:
Reject criminalization of critics, including legal experts and all parties involved in the making of the film Dirty Vote, either by the Election Law or other criminal provisions. Request the government, state apparatus, political parties, presidential and vice presidential candidates, election contestants, and their supporters, are not allergic to criticism conveyed by the public, including facts about election fraud. Urge the Indonesian Police, Bawaslu, Indonesian Prosecutor's Office and other institutions not to follow the wishes or narratives of the reporters and parties who are anti-criticism to criminalize figures and filmmaker Dirty Vote. So it is appropriate that the report submitted by the reporter be rejected and not proceed legally. Urge election organizers and law enforcers to process the facts of fraud in the 2024 election, instead of criminalizing the experts and activists behind the film Dirty Vote.
For your information, the Civil Society Coalition consists of a number of non-governmental organizations, including the Alliance of Independent Journalists, the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), LBH Pers, LBH Newsdelivers.com, the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS), the Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR), Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFENet), Amnesty International Indonesia, Greenpeace Indonesia, Institute for Community Studies and Advocacy (ELSAM), Center for Indonesian Law and Policy Studies (PSHK), Foundation for Strengthening Indonesian Community Participation, Initiatives and Partnerships (YAPPIKA).