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The Jakarta Post's editor chief editor Meidyatama Suryodiningrat face up to five years in prison. Photo: AFP

Jakarta Post’s editor faces blasphemy charge for cartoon mocking Islamic State

Indonesian police have declared the editor-in-chief of a prominent English-language daily newspaper a suspect in a blasphemy case over the publication of a cartoon mocking the jihadist group Islamic State.

AP

Indonesian police have declared the editor-in-chief of a prominent English-language daily newspaper a suspect in a blasphemy case over the publication of a cartoon mocking the jihadist group Islamic State.

Jakarta Police Spokesman Rikwanto told reporters on Thursday that The Jakarta Post Chief Editor Meidyatama Suryodiningrat, 47, was named a suspect, citing witness testimonies and evidence, for his responsibility over all products of the Post.

The chief editor issued a statement late on Thursday, saying the newspaper did not commit a criminal act as accused, while a journalists’ group said the case threatens the country’s press freedom.

The cartoon published on July 3 depicted a flag emblazoned with the Arabic phrases “La ilaha Illallah,” meaning “there is none worthy of worship except Allah,” and “Allah, Mohamed and Apostle” on a pirate skull.

The police spokesman said they will summon and question Suryodiningrat next week as a suspect. The journalist faces five years in prison for blasphemy against a religion under the criminal code.

The police were alerted to the case by a Muslim group, called Jakarta Preachers’ Corps, after The Jakarta Post issued an apology about the internationally syndicated cartoon and a retraction from its website and print edition.

The editor said: “What we produced was a journalistic piece that criticised the ISIS movement, which has carried out violence in the name of religion,” using the acronym of the extremist group, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

“It means that the ISIS caricature was not blasphemous,” he said. “We all know that ISIS is an organisation that is banned in Indonesia and across almost the entire world.”

The Jakarta-based Alliance of Independent Journalists, or AJI, slammed the declaration of Suryodiningrat as suspect.

“We urge the police not to use the criminal code to deal with journalistic cases, but the pess law to solve disputes related to news reports and press products,” the press organisation said.

The case, according to AJI, was a “serious threat” for press freedom.

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