BALINEWSID.COM, DENPASAR – Bali Journalists Solidarity (Solidaritas Jurnalis Bali/SJB) has urged the Denpasar District Court to dismiss a civil lawsuit worth Rp25 billion filed against four media companies, arguing that the case poses a serious threat to press freedom and should instead be resolved through the Press Council.

The lawsuit, registered under case number 958/Pdt.G/2026/PN Dps, was filed on June 12, 2026, by lawyer Togar Situmorang. It stems from media reports concerning his designation as a suspect in an alleged Rp1.8 billion client fund embezzlement case.

The four media companies named as defendants are PT Bali Intermedia Digital, PT Artha Media Fajar Bali Utama Press, PT Bali Warta Kencana, and PT Mangupura Inter Media.

Speaking during an SJB consolidation meeting in Denpasar on Tuesday (July 14), SJB member Emanuel Dewata Oja said the lawsuit had been filed in the wrong forum because disputes involving journalistic products must be resolved under Law No. 40 of 1999 on the Press.

“Press disputes should be settled through mechanisms provided under the Press Law, namely the right of reply, the right of correction, or mediation through the Press Council,” said Emanuel, who also serves as Chairman of the Bali chapter of the Indonesian Cyber Media Association (SMSI).

He warned that if the court accepted the lawsuit, particularly if it ruled in favor of the plaintiff, it would create a dangerous legal precedent and undermine press freedom in Indonesia.

Emanuel added that the recommendations previously issued by the Press Council regarding the disputed reports had already been implemented by the defendant media outlets.

Another SJB member, Agustinus Apollonaris Klasa Daton, called on journalists and media organizations across Bali to stand in solidarity with the four defendants.

“This is not only about the media companies being sued. It concerns the future of all media organizations. We must prevent this case from becoming legal precedent for future press disputes,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ambros Boli Berasi, representing the Bali chapter of the Indonesian Television Journalists Association (IJTI), proposed holding a dialogue with the Denpasar District Court to reinforce the principle that press disputes fall under the jurisdiction of the Press Council rather than the general courts.

The Chairwoman of the Denpasar chapter of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), Ni Kadek Novi Febriani, also urged the panel of judges to dismiss the lawsuit through an interlocutory ruling, arguing that the matter had already been addressed by the Press Council.

She described the lawsuit as both an Unjustified Lawsuit Against the Press (ULAP) and a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP), legal actions that are intended to create a chilling effect and discourage the media from performing its public watchdog role.

Novi further noted that Constitutional Court Decision No. 145 reaffirmed the legal protection guaranteed to journalists in carrying out their professional duties.

Separately, I Ketut Adi Sutrisna, Chairman of the Bali chapter of the Indonesian Cyber Media Association (AMSI), stressed that if the disputed reports were legitimate journalistic products, the case should be resolved exclusively through the Press Council. He also encouraged media companies to continue strengthening editorial governance and improving factual and administrative verification.

Chairman of the Bali chapter of the Indonesian Cyber Media Network (JMSI), Nyoman Adi Irawan, expressed hope that the Supreme Court would establish a memorandum of understanding with the Press Council, similar to agreements already signed by the Attorney General’s Office and the National Police.

According to him, such cooperation would help ensure that courts exercise greater caution when accepting lawsuits involving journalistic products and maintain legal certainty in protecting press freedom.