Indonesian Press Council Condemns Lawyer's Insult to Journalist

Indonesia's Press Council has strongly condemned a statement made by senior lawyer Hotman Paris Hutapea towards a journalist during a press conference. Hutapea, who is representing a former official in a corruption case, reportedly asked a journalist, "Don't you have a brain?" while the reporter was asking questions related to his journalistic duties.

“

Regrettable is the attitude of lawyer Hotman Paris who answered the journalist's question with a demeaning expression.

Komaruddin Hidayat, Chairman of the Press Council, expressed regret over Hutapea's demeaning remark. He stated that any disagreement or displeasure with a journalist's question should be addressed rationally and ethically. The Press Council emphasized the importance of respecting journalists as they carry out their work, which is protected by Indonesian law, specifically Law No. 40 of 1999 concerning the Press.

Journalists ask questions as part of their professional duty to gather information and obtain explanations from sources regarding events. Hidayat clarified that this process is a protected journalistic activity under Article 4, Paragraph 3 of the Press Law. Several other journalist organizations in Indonesia had previously issued strong statements denouncing Hutapea's actions, labeling him as arrogant and disrespectful to the dignity of journalists.

“

A journalist asks questions to gather information, to hear the source's version of an event, which is part of the journalistic process protected by Article 4 paragraph 3 of Law Number 40 of 99 concerning the Press.

Adding to the controversy, a protest was held in front of Hotman Paris's law firm in North Jakarta. Approximately 100 demonstrators participated, demanding that public deception and misleading narratives be rejected, and that justice be based on evidence rather than displays of wealth or sensationalism. Police were deployed to maintain order during the demonstration.

“

Reject public deception and Hotman Paris's misleading narrative, justice must be based on evidence, not wealth and sensationalism.