Indonesia government aims to outlaw insulting president, sparks uproar


  • World
  • Wednesday, 05 Aug 2015

Indonesian President Joko Widodo speaks during the Indonesia business forum in Tokyo March 24, 2015. REUTERS/Yuya Shino

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian legislators and human rights activists criticised on Wednesday a government proposal to make insulting the president illegal, citing concern for freedom of speech in the world's third-largest democracy.

The proposal aims to revive a law from the era of former authoritarian ruler Suharto that was used to silence dissidents with jail sentences and fines.

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