Mistar.id Journalist coverage data in Medan, was deleted on Tuesday, February 25, 2025.
That day, journalist Deddy Irawan was present to cover the trial of the artist agency fraud case with the defendant Desiska Boru Sihite at the Medan District Court.
When the trial with scheduled to read the Public Prosecutor's response to the defendant's objection note (exception), the journalist sitting in the visitor's chair began to take photo of the trial.
Then Deddy was called by a group of men suspected of being thugs who were guarding Desiska's trial. Deddy ignored the summons, and he continued his duties covering it.
Sumardi, Medan district court's substitute clerk, then called Deddy to leave the courtroom. After being in front of the courtroom, Deddy was immediately surrounded by thugs. They asked for the journalist's identity and letter of permission to take photos.
The journalist showed his press card and introduced himself as a journalist who usually covers the Medan district court. But Sumardi and several thugs deleted the photos that the journalist had documented. They also tried to grab journalist's phone.
The trial was open to the public and there was no prior information that it was a closed trial.