Hamid emphasized that these rulings should serve as a wake-up call to the government, urging them to overhaul the UU ITE to prevent future misuse. “The government must ensure that the UU ITE is no longer used to silence citizens who are peacefully exercising their right to free speech,” he stated. “It is essential to protect workers who speak out against injustices without the fear of criminal consequences.”

Moreover, Hamid called on employers to create environments that promote open dialogue and the peaceful resolution of disputes, rather than resorting to oppressive tactics under the guise of legal protection. He urged the Indonesian government to ensure that workers’ rights to freely express themselves are safeguarded and that laws are reformed to prevent further misuse.

The legal saga surrounding Septia began in January 2023, when she took to social media to accuse her former employer, PT Hive Five, a tax and accounting services company, of underpaying employees and neglecting their rights. Her social media post, which criticized the management, led to a defamation complaint from Henry Kurnia Adhi, one of the company’s owners.

In response, Septia was charged under the UU ITE, a law that has been used to target individuals who criticize companies, government officials, and powerful figures. The defamation case against her escalated after she was detained in August 2024, following a detention order from the Central Jakarta Prosecutor’s Office. She was held for 25 days in the Pondok Bambu Detention Center before being placed under house arrest in September 2024.

YouTube player