Jakarta/Amsterdam, October 26, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Free Press Unlimited (FPU), and Medan Legal Aid Institute (LBH Medan) urge the Indonesian president and lawmakers to uphold the recent Constitutional Court ruling and promptly amend the 1997 Military Justice Law, a crucial step toward ensuring justice for the killers of Tribrata TV journalist Rico Sempurna Pasaribu and his family.
On October 15, in response to a petition filed by Eva Meilani, Pasaribu’s daughter, and another victim challenging the constitutionality of the 1997 Military Justice Law, the Constitutional Court ruled that the law would be invalid if not amended within two years. The court said the amended law must require military personnel accused of criminal offenses against civilians to be tried in civilian courts.
Pasaribu, a journalist with news site Tribrata TV, was killed with his wife, son, and grandson in an arson attack in Kabanjahe, North Sumatra, on June 27, 2024. Before the attack, the 47-year-old received threats and demands that he take down a series of stories he wrote about an illegal gambling operation allegedly run by Cpl. Herman Bukit, a soldier with the Army’s 125th Battalion, stationed in the town. Following a closed investigation, military police under Regional Military Command I/Bukit Barisan stated that they lacked sufficient evidence to name Bukit as a suspect.
“We welcome the Constitutional Court’s ruling as a crucial step toward ending impunity for crimes against journalists involving military personnel,” said Beh Lih Yi, CPJ’s Asia-Pacific director. “Lawmakers must swiftly amend the law to ensure justice for journalist Rico Sempurna Pasaribu’s family and other victims. This case must mark a turning point in Indonesia’s fight against impunity for crimes against journalists.”
“The Constitutional Court’s eagerly awaited ruling is a true victory for justice and a critical step for Indonesia in its fight against impunity,” said Jules Swinkels, FPU’s lead investigator on the case. “We urge lawmakers to act promptly and adhere to this landmark ruling as soon as possible. Only then can Indonesia finally turn a corner and ensure that cases involving military personnel will be dealt with by civilian courts, as it should be.”
“This Constitutional Court ruling is a victory for all Indonesian journalists. We urge lawmakers not to wait two years to amend the law, so that cases of violence against journalists involving military personnel can be brought before civilian courts without delay,” said LBH Medan Director Irvan Saputra.
Besides the Pasaribu killing, local media outlets have documented how members of the Indonesian military intimidated journalists and seized their equipment in 2026, in areas such as North Aceh and Jakarta. According to the Indonesia press freedom advocacy group Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), 60 cases of intimidation against journalists involve military members since 2016 to 2025.
CPJ, FPU, and LBH Medan recommend:
- The president and Indonesia’s House of Representatives must immediately implement the Constitutional Court’s ruling in full, with meaningful participation from civil society.
- North Sumatra provincial police must reopen the investigation into the murder of journalist Rico Sempurna Pasaribu, as Eva Meilani’s report focuses on the involvement of military member Herman Bukit. The investigation and prosecution of the case must be transparent, impartial, and swift, as well as conducted in accordance with the appropriate sections of the Indonesian Press Law, which guarantees protection for journalists while they are doing their work.