Journalists intimidated by Police about the closing of the statue of the Virgin Mary

Journalists in Yogyakarta experienced intimidation when covering the closing of the statue of the Virgin Mary.

Apart from intimidation, journalists also experienced intervention for journalistic content reporting on the closure of the statue of the Virgin Mary in Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta.

It is known that journalists were intimidated by the Kulon Progo Police when they attended a press conference regarding the closing of the statue of the Virgin Mary at the Sasana Adhi Rasa Santo Yakobus Prayer House, at Padukuhan Degolan, Bumirejo, Lendah, Kulon Progo on Thursday, 23 March 2023.

The closure of the statue of the Virgin Mary was originally said to be due to pressure from certain mass organizations. Then the media was informed that this was being done, because the house of prayer was still in the process of being completed, as well as in the stage of obtaining permits.

However, regarding this news, Kulon Progo Police Public Relations asked journalists to make news according to the narrative that had been conveyed by the Kulon Progo Police Chief AKBP Muharomah Fajarini. At the press conference, Muharomah Police Chief said he apologized if any member made the mistake of writing the narrative. He said that his party had received an order from the Yogyakarta Police Chief, that no mass organizations would disturb security and peace. If there are CSOs that disturb security and peace, they will be dealt with.

Kulon Progo Police Public Relations then suggested that journalists should quote the statement from the Head of Police, so as not to make things worse in the area, because not all Kulon Progo residents have a good literacy level. According to him, he was worried that the previously circulated news related to this issue could affect the public's perception in Kulon Progo.

Intimidation of the media continued on Friday, March 24, 2023, when a tweet on Twitter from the account @Jogja_Menyapa labeled a journalistic product stamped as a hoax and a narrative that provoked the public.
The tweet from the @Jogja_Menyapa account reads: "how terrible is the news @Harian_Jogja .... everyone has justified Islam, they don't know their own initiative ...," wrote the account @Jogja_Menyapa.