Standards for Professional Protection of Journalists

PROFESSIONAL PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR JOURNALISTS

FREEDOM to express thoughts and opinions is a human right
that cannot be taken away and must be respected. The Indonesian people have
chosen and are determined to protect the freedom to express thoughts and
opinions in the 1945 Constitution. Freedom of the press is a form of
popular sovereignty and an important part of freedom to express thoughts
and opinions.

Journalists are the main pillars of press freedom. Therefore, in
carrying out their professional duties, journalists absolutely receive legal protection from
the state, society and press companies. For this reason, the Standards for Professional Protection
of Journalists were created:

1. The protection regulated in this standard is legal protection for
journalists who comply with the journalistic code of ethics in carrying out
their journalistic duties to fulfill the public’s right to obtain information;

2. In carrying out journalistic duties, journalists receive
legal protection from the state, society and press companies. Journalistic tasks
include searching, obtaining, possessing, storing, processing and
conveying information through mass media;

3. In carrying out journalistic duties, journalists are protected from acts
of violence, taking, confiscation and/or confiscation of work equipment, and
must not be hampered or intimidated by any party;

4. Journalistic work of journalists is protected from all forms of censorship;

5. Journalists who are specifically assigned to dangerous and/or conflict areas
must be equipped with an assignment letter, appropriate safety equipment
, insurance, as well as knowledge and skills from a press company related
to the interests of their assignment;

6. In journalistic assignments in areas of armed conflict, journalists who
have shown their identity as journalists and do not use
the identity of the conflicting party, must be treated as neutral parties and
given legal protection so that they are prohibited from being intimidated, taken hostage,
tortured, mistreated, let alone killed;

7. In cases involving journalistic work, the press company is represented
by the person in charge;

8. In testimony in cases involving journalistic work,
the person responsible can only be asked about news that has been
published. Journalists can exercise the right of objection to protect
sources of information;

9. Owners or management of press companies are prohibited from forcing journalists to
produce news that violates the Journalism Code of Ethics and/or applicable laws
.

Jakarta, 25 April 2008