digital laws

Does Indonesia have laws in place to protect its citizens’ right to free speech and expression online? Are these laws being implemented in a way that promotes human rights, or are the same laws being used to curtail them? These are the questions tackled in this new report.

State-mandated internet shutdowns are becoming more frequent as governments use these to quell dissent and silence critics. Can citizens push back against these shutdowns? Do countries in the global South have a legal framework to address and counter internet shutdowns?

This report outlines jurisprudence across the global South on the legality of internet shutdowns. It tackles the growing challenge of government-mandated disruptions of internet access around the world, often under the guise of safeguarding public order and upholding national security interests.

On 15 June, online news organisation Rappler’s CEO and executive editor Maria Ressa and former researcher-writer Reynaldo Santos Jr. were convicted of cyber libel charges, in just one of 11 court cases filed against Rappler, branded one of the staunchest critics of President Duterte.

Earlier this month, the Jakarta State Administrative Court declared as illegal the internet shutdowns in Papua and West Papua enforced by the Indonesian government in 2019.

Over the past decade, states across the globe have enacted digital laws to cope with the unique and evolving challenges posed by the internet. We are launching a campaign to raise awareness and foster discussions on the human rights impact of these laws, with a special focus on Asia.