UI Student Journalists Face Harassment After Protest and Pride Month Article Coverage

Student journalists at the University of Indonesia (UI) are reporting escalating harassment after covering recent protests and publishing an opinion piece on LGBTQ+ rights. The Autonomous Body of Pers Suara Mahasiswa (SUMA) stated that its journalists have faced massive intimidation, including doxing with personal data, threatening calls and messages, hate speech, and stalking.

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Repeated threatening and intimidating calls and messages, verbal harassment, hate speech, and stalking attempts on Suma UI journalists while carrying out their coverage duties.

The harassment intensified after SUMA UI covered a protest titled #TowardsIndonesiaBankruptcy on June 12, 2026. The home of one journalist was also visited by an unknown individual, described as a man in a blue shirt and shorts, late at night. These incidents have instilled fear for the safety of the journalists and their families.

Amidst this intimidation, SUMA UI also faced pressure from the university to remove its opinion piece, "Testing the Human Rights Principle in Pride Month." Published on June 10, 2026, the article highlighted discrimination against LGBTQ+ communities in Indonesia, including on campus. University officials, including those from the Student Organization Office, repeatedly requested the removal of the publication, citing protests and the need to protect UI's reputation.

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The incident has caused real fear and concern for the safety of the journalists and their families.

After deliberation, SUMA UI decided to take down the article. However, the press organization emphasized that this decision was made solely to mitigate risks and ensure the safety of its staff, not to validate the legitimacy of the intimidation or the university's demands. The organization maintains its stance on the issues raised in the removed publication.

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Suma UI emphasizes that this decision does not imply recognition of the legitimacy of intimidation or ju