12 Jul 2017 | 12:36 AM UTC
Indonesia: Alleged Islamic State member arrested in South Sumatra July 8
Alleged Islamic State member arrested in South Sumatra July 8 after being accused of using hate speech against police via social media
Event
On Saturday, July 8, an alleged Islamic State (IS) member known as Toni was arrested in South Sumatra after being accused of using hate speech against police via social media. According to police, the man had proclaimed himself a member of IS through social media and wanted to travel to Syria. Authorities claim that he may have broken the Information and Transaction Law (ITE) with his social media activity. He could face more than five years in prison if found guilty of violating the ITE law.
Context
The ITE law, originally implemented in 2008, was revised in November 2016 to allow the government to block negative online content or order internet service providers to block such content. Internet providers can be forced to remove content that individuals claim is damaging to them, if approved by a court. The law also allows people to be prosecuted for defamation, hate speech, and cyber bullying. Activists and rights groups have criticized the law for limiting free speech and threatening the country's democracy.
Meanwhile, Indonesia is on a high security alert due to a generally heightened risk of terror attacks. IS sympathizers have carried out a series of mostly low-level attacks over the past few years, and there are fears of the potential return of hundreds of Indonesians who have gone to Syria to fight with IS. Three police officers were killed by IS associates in June 2017 alone.
Advice
All those present in Indonesia are advised to remain discreet and to avoid sharing sensitive or controversial information online. More generally, due to the heightened threat of terrorism in Indonesia, remain vigilant when visiting sites deemed particularly likely to be targeted (public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, markets, hotels and restaurants frequented by foreigners/Westerners, festivals, etc.).
