Environmental Activist Daniel Tangkilisan Acquitted

CENTRAL JAVA – RAKYAT NEWS – The Semarang High Court in Central Java has granted the appeal of Daniel Tangkilisan, an environmental activist from Karimunjawa, releasing him from legal charges. The court’s decision, No. 374/Pid.Sus/2024/PT SMG, overturned the previous ruling, offering a correction to the earlier judgment.

Daniel Tangkilisan, an Indonesian environmental activist, was imprisoned for his efforts to protect Karimunjawa National Park from illegal shrimp farms. His case has attracted significant attention and criticism from human rights organizations.

In 2022, he and his colleagues launched the #SaveKarimunjawa campaign to oppose illegal shrimp farming, which they claimed was causing severe environmental damage to the marine park. A critical Facebook comment about supporters of these illegal farms led to his arrest under Indonesia’s controversial Information and Electronic Transactions Law (UU ITE).

Tangkilisan faced charges of defamation and hate speech, accused of violating provisions of the UU ITE. His trial and subsequent seven-month prison sentence have been condemned as attempts to stifle environmental activism and silence dissent. Human rights groups argue that the charges and legal proceedings against Tangkilisan were unjust and intended to intimidate other activists.

This case highlights broader concerns about freedom of expression and the protection of environmental defenders in Indonesia. Activists and international organizations continue to call for Daniel Tangkilisan’s release and for reforms to laws that can be used to suppress activism.

He was previously criminalized for his social media posts highlighting the pollution caused by illegal shrimp farms in Karimunjawa National Park. As a vocal environmental activist, he openly criticized the ongoing environmental contamination resulting from these illegal activities.