A coalition of Bali’s leading press organizations is demanding the Bali Regional Police (Polda Bali) seriously investigate a report of alleged intimidation and police violence against journalist Fabiola Dianira of Detikbali.
Denpasar, Bali – In a significant stand for press freedom, the Bali Journalists Coalition has formally urged the Bali Police to take serious action on the alleged assault of Fabiola Dianira. The incident occurred while she was covering a protest at Renon Field, Denpasar, on Saturday, August 30.
The coalition, comprising legal and press organizations, spent nearly 12 hours at police headquarters on September 6 to ensure the report was filed under specific laws protecting journalists, fearing the case would otherwise be dismissed.
A Grueling Fight for Accountability
The legal team, alongside Fabiola and fellow journalists, shuttled between police departments to push for the case to be handled under Indonesia’s Press Law (UU Pers). The report was finally accepted in the early hours of September 7.
“We hope the police, even when investigating their own, will view every fact objectively,” said Ignatius Rhadite of the Bali Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI-LBH Bali) at Polda Bali. “The perpetrators must be held accountable according to regulations; there must be no impunity. They cannot be let off lightly and must face severe sanctions.”
The official police report (LP/B/636/IX/2025/SPKT/POLDA BALI) cites multiple alleged violations, including criminal charges of obstructing journalism, acts of violence, forced seizure of property, and breaches of the Indonesian National Police code of ethics by three unidentified officers.
Setting a Precedent Against Police Violence
Rhadite emphasized the case’s critical importance. “This report is an effort to create a precedent. If we let this slide, it is highly likely that more violence against our journalist colleagues will occur in the future,” he stated. The legal team submitted evidence, including the journalist’s press card, assignment letter, witness accounts, and locations of potential CCTV footage.
The case of police violence journalist Fabiola Dianira adds to a long list of assaults on the press in Indonesia. While covering a protest concerning parliamentary allowance hikes and the death of ride-hailing driver Affan Kurniawan, she attempted to document officers allegedly kicking, beating, and handcuffing demonstrators.
Despite identifying herself as press, she was confronted by 3-4 officers in black uniforms who forbade her from taking pictures. Two officers then grabbed her arms, while a third seized her phone and forced it open to delete any documentation of the dispersal. The traumatic event left Fabiola suffering from depression and requiring psychological recovery.
A Stand for Democracy and a Free Press
Ni Kadek Novi Febriani of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Denpasar applauded Fabiola’s courage. “Press freedom is the key to a democratic nation and is non-negotiable,” Febriani said. “In a turbulent socio-political climate, the public needs accurate, independent, and trustworthy news. The police should be guaranteeing press freedom, not violating it.”
She strongly condemned the police violence journalist incident and demanded the Bali Police Chief investigate and punish the officers involved. “We ask the police to professionally solve this case of violence and guarantee press freedom,” she asserted.
The Bali Journalists Coalition is a solidarity movement formed in response to this attack, including YLBHI-LBH Bali, AJI Denpasar, the Indonesian Television Journalists Association (IJTI) Bali, the Online Reporters Association (IWO) Bali, Ukhuwah Jurnalis Bali (UJB), and Pena NTT.
