After Pig's Head, Now Tempo Sent a Package of Dead Rats: Teror Bagi Kebebasan Pers di Indonesia
I received a press release from the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Jakarta and the Legal Aid Institute (LBH) Press about a series of terrors carried out against the editorial office of Tempo, a media outlet that is critical of the government.
Because this is a press release, of course it is not an exclusive post because it has been broadcast by various mass media. I edited the press release and sent it to this platform as a form of support for Tempo and press freedom in Indonesia.
The terror against the Tempo editorial office continues. After previously being sent a pig's head, Tempo was again sent a box containing six dead rats with their heads severed, Saturday (3/22/2025) at 08.00 WIB.
The Tempo cleaning staff was the first to see the box lying with a slight dent. When opened, the cardboard box turned out to contain a dead rat. Tempo then checked the CCTV footage and found that the package containing the dead rat was thrown by an unknown person at 02.11 WIB from outside the fence of the Tempo office complex on Jalan Palmerah Barat, South Jakarta.
Security officers suspect that the box of dead rats hit a parked car before hitting the asphalt. There were traces of scratches on the car that was famous for the rat box being thrown.
Previously, a courier sent a cardboard box lined with styrofoam containing a pig's head addressed to a Tempo crew with the initials FCR. The package was received by Tempo's security unit at 16.15 WIB. Meanwhile, FCR only received and opened the box on Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 15.00 WIB when he was about to conduct the Tempo Political Leak podcast.
When the box was opened, a very pungent stench was smelled and a pig's head was found in the plastic package with both ears cut off.
Then, Tempo's Editor-in-Chief, Setri Yasra, said that before the rat carcass, Tempo's editorial staff received a threatening message via social media via the Instagram account @derrynoah on March 21, 2025. The account's controller stated that he would continue to send terror "until your office dies."
The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Jakarta and the Legal Aid Institute (LBH) Pers condemned the acts of intimidation and threats of symbolic murder that have occurred again against the Tempo editorial office.
In their written statement, AJI and LBH Pers assessed that the terror against Tempo and its journalists was a form of systematic attack against the press. The massive attack that occurred again only one day after the report was received by the National Police Headquarters adds to the reasons for the police to take firm and serious steps to arrest the perpetrators and uncover the motive for the attack.
According to AJI Jakarta and LBH Pers, this action further clarifies the terror against the Tempo editorial office and press freedom itself. All forms of intimidation and threats of symbolic murder against journalists and the editorial office further clarify the threat to journalistic work carried out by Tempo as a media that is critical and vocal in responding to public issues.
In addition, the sending of six dead rats to the Tempo editorial office is also strongly suspected as a form of obstruction of journalistic work with the threat of a maximum prison sentence of 2 (two) years or a maximum fine of Rp500,000,000.00 (five hundred million rupiah) as regulated in the provisions of Article 18 paragraph (1) of Law Number 40 of 1999 concerning the Press.
Not only to Tempo, this terror must also be interpreted as an attack and threat to the public interest, especially the public's right to quality news in Indonesia. Cut from the same cloth, this phenomenon is also part of an effort to eradicate the function of the press: social control and monitoring arbitrary power.
Given the high level of threat to the security and safety of victims, law enforcement officers must seriously handle this case by prioritizing the enforcement of justice and recovery for victims.
The long series of cases involving journalists' work - such as the terror of vehicle destruction against one of the hosts of the Bocor Alus Tempo podcast - which have not been resolved by the police shows the minimal support of law enforcement for the sustainability of press freedom. Law enforcement officers must stop the practice of impunity by not implementing an undue delay on this case.
Urge the police
Regarding this incident, the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Jakarta and the Legal Aid Institute (LBH) Press urge the police to investigate, uncover, and prosecute the mastermind behind the intimidation of FCR as a journalist and host of the Bocor Alus Politik Tempo podcast. Then condemn the intimidation by whoever is behind it which hinders journalistic performance.
AJI Jakarta Chairman, Irsyan Hasyim and AJI Jakarta Advocacy Division Chair, Sonya Andomo together with the Executive Director of LBH Pers, Mustafa SH, also urged the police to arrest the perpetrators of intimidation and charge them with criminal offenses, Article 18 paragraph (1) of Law No. 40 of 1999 on the Press for obstructing the journalistic work process.
They also urged the Press Council to deploy an Anti-Violence Task Force to ensure that the police investigate this case thoroughly. The Press Council also needs to monitor and resolve cases of violence against journalists that have so far been overlooked in the data collection.
“Journalists carry out press work as a form of checks and balances and the embodiment of their duties as the fourth pillar of democracy. All forms of intimidation and threats carried out are forms of obstruction of press work that can result in violation of the right to a sense of security for journalists and violation of the public's right to information,” said AJI Jakarta and LBH Pers in a joint statement. [release]
Setelah Kepala Babi, Kini Tempo Dikirimi Paket Bangkai Tikus
Saya menerima siaran pers dari Aliansi Jurnalis Independen (AJI) Jakarta dan Lembaga Bantuan Hukum (LBH) Pers tentang rentetan teror yang dilakukan terhadap redaksi Tempo, sebuah media yang kritis terhadap pemerintah.
Karena ini siaran pers, tentunya bukan postingan yang eksklusif karena sudah disiarkan berbagai media massa, termasuk byklik.com. Saya mengedit siara pers tersebut dan mengirimkan ke platform ini sebagai bentuk dukungan terhadap Tempo dan kebebasan pers di Indonesia.
Teror terhadap kantor redaksi Tempo berlanjut. Setelah sebelumnya dikirimi kepala babi, Tempo kembali dikirimi kotak berisi enam bangkai tikus dengan kondisi kepala terpenggal, Sabtu (22/3/2025) pukul 08.00 WIB.
Petugas kebersihan Tempo yang pertama kali melihat kotak tergeletak dengan kondisi sedikit penyok. Ketika membukanya, dalam kotak kardus ternyata berisi bangkai tikus. Pihak Tempo lalu melakukan pemeriksaan rekaman CCTV dan diketahui bungkusan berisi bangkai tikus itu dilempar orang tak dikenal pada pukul 02.11 WIB dari luar pagar kompleks kantor Tempo di Jalan Palmerah Barat Jakarta Selatan.
Petugas keamanan menduga kotak bangkai tikus itu mengenai mobil yang sedang diparkir sebelum membentur aspal. Ada jejak baret pada mobil yang terkenal lemparan kotak tikus itu.
Sebelumnya, seorang kurir mengirimkan kardus dilapisi styrofoam yang berisi kepala babi tersebut ditujukan kepada awak Tempo berinisial FCR. Paket tersebut diterima oleh satuan pengamanan Tempo pada pukul 16.15 WIB. Sementara, FCR baru menerima dan membuka kardus tersebut pada Kamis, 20 Maret 2025 pukul 15.00 WIB saat hendak melakukan siniar Bocor Alus Politik Tempo.
Ketika kardus itu dibuka, tercium bau busuk yang sangat menyengat dan ditemukan sebuah kepala babi di dalam bungkusan plastik dengan kedua telinga yang sudah terpotong.
Kemudian, Pemimpin Redaksi Tempo, Setri Yasra, mengatakan sebelum bangkai tikus, redaksi Tempo menerima pesan ancaman melalui media sosial melalui akun Instagram @derrynoah pada 21 Maret 2025. Pengendali akun itu menyatakan akan terus mengirimkan teror “sampai mampus kantor kalian”.
Aliansi Jurnalis Independen (AJI) Jakarta dan Lembaga Bantuan Hukum (LBH) Pers mengecam tindakan intimidasi dan ancaman pembunuhan simbolik yang kembali terjadi kepada kantor redaksi Tempo.
Dalam keterangan tertulisnya, AJI dan LBH Pers menilai teror terhadap Tempo dan para Jurnalisnya merupakan bentuk serangan sistematis terhadap pers. Serangan yang berlangsung masif dan kembali terjadi hanya sehari setelah laporan diterima Mabes Polri menambah alasan bagi kepolisian harus mengambil langkah tegas dan serius untuk menangkap pelaku serta mengungkap motif serangan.
Menurut AJI Jakarta dan LBH Pers, tindakan ini semakin memperjelas teror untuk redaksi Tempo maupun kebebasan pers itu sendiri. Segala bentuk intimidasi dan ancaman pembunuhan simbolik terhadap jurnalis maupun kantor redaksi kian memperjelas ancaman terhadap kerja-kerja jurnalistik yang dilakukan oleh Tempo sebagai salah satu media yang kritis dan vokal dalam merespon isu-isu publik.
Selain itu, pengiriman enam ekor bangkai tikus yang ditujukkan kepada kantor redaksi Tempo juga diduga kuat sebagai bentuk penghalang-halangan kerja jurnalistik dengan ancaman pidana penjara paling lama 2 (dua) tahun atau denda paling banyak Rp500.000.000,00 (lima ratus juta rupiah) sebagaimana diatur dalam ketentuan Pasal 18 ayat (1) Undang-Undang (UU) Nomor 40 Tahun 1999 tentang Pers.
Bukan sekadar kepada Tempo, teror ini juga harus dimaknai sebagai serangan dan ancaman bagi kepentingan publik khususnya hak masyarakat atas berita berkualitas di Indonesia. Setali tiga uang, fenomena ini juga bagian dari upaya memberangus fungsi pers: kontrol sosial dan mengawasi kekuasaan yang sewenang-wenang.
Mengingat tingginya tingkat ancaman terhadap keamanan serta keselamatan korban, aparat penegak hukum harus secara serius melakukan penanganan kasus ini dengan memprioritaskan penegakan keadilan dan pemulihan bagi korban.
Panjangnya deret kasus yang melibatkan kerja-kerja jurnalis –seperti teror perusakan kendaraan terhadap salah satu host siniar Bocor Alus Tempo lainnya– yang tidak kunjung diselesaikan di kepolisian menunjukan minimnya keberpihakan penegak hukum terhadap keberlangsungan kemerdekaan pers. Aparat penegak hukum harus menghentikan praktik impunitas dengan tidak melakukan undue delay terhadap kasus ini.
Desak kepolisian
Atas peristiwa itu, Aliansi Jurnalis Independen (AJI) Jakarta dan Lembaga Bantuan Hukum (LBH) Pers mendesak kepolisian untuk mengusut, membongkar, dan mengadili dalang dari perilaku intimidasi kepada FCR selaku jurnalis dan host siniar Bocor Alus Politik Tempo. Kemudian mengecam aksi intimidasi oleh siapapun yang menjadi dalang di belakangnya yang menghalangi kinerja jurnalistik.
Ketua AJI Jakarta, Irsyan Hasyim dan Ketua Divisi Advokasi AJI Jakarta, Sonya Andomo bersama Direktur Eksekutif LBH Pers, Mustafa SH, juga mendesak kepolisian untuk menangkap pelaku intimidasi dan dijerat dengan delik pidana, Pasal 18 ayat (1) UU Pers No 40 Tahun 1999 karena telah menghalangi proses kerja jurnalistik.
Mereka juga mendesak Dewan Pers untuk menerjunkan Satgas anti-Kekerasan guna memastikan kepolisian mengusut kasus ini dengan tuntas. Dewan Pers juga perlu memantau dan menuntaskan kasus-kasus kekerasan terhadap jurnalis yang selama ini luput dalam pendataan.
“Jurnalis melakukan kerja-kerja pers sebagai bentuk check and balances serta pengejawantahan tugasnya sebagai pilar keempat demokrasi. Segala bentuk intimidasi dan ancaman yang dilakukan merupakan bentuk penghalang-halangan kerja pers yang dapat berakibat pada terlanggarnya hak atas jaminan rasa aman bagi jurnalis serta terlanggarnya hak publik atas informasi,” sebut AJI Jakarta dan LBH Pers dalam keterangan bersama.[rilis]
_Foto-foto demo menolak Undang-Undang Penyiaran di Lhokseumawe, Aceh.