Jakarta, IO – Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Indonesia, Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) and Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet) held a press conference on Tuesday (20/6) regarding the findings of Indonesialeaks which raised concern about Pegasus spyware in Indonesia.
ICW researcher Wana Alamsyah said that his organization is highlighting the budgetary aspect where the police as an instrument of the government allegedly used public funds to buy the surveillance equipment. “In 2023, the police will spend around Rp2.3 trillion to buy the surveillance tools. This is public money, but why does it restrict the public freedom. The costs are also very high,” said Wana.
He said the spyware can be potentially used for hacking, restrict access to social media and even to interfere in elections, as well as other extraordinary crimes such as terrorism, narcotics, and other shady purposes. “This tool can be owned by many institutions, without clear accountability. This is really dangerous for democracy. Because any group or institution can carry out wiretapping on anyone at will without supervision,” said Wana.
Regarding its impact on the 2024 election, Wana said it can be used to delegitimize a candidate’s reputation, including abuse of personal information that would affect the person’s electability and sway public opinion.
Meanwhile, Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet) executive director Damar Juniarto said the abuse of the Pegasus spyware by state apparatus in Indonesia constituted unlawful surveillance.
Damar emphasized that there is a lot of evidence that unlawful surveillance. “Unlawful surveillance constitutes human rights violation if it is carried out intentionally and aimed at depriving privacy rights and undermining the democratic system,” he said.
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AJI said Pegasus can also pose serious impact on the work of journalists, especially those that are critical. AJI asked the government to stop purchasing the equipment, including being transparent about how it is being used, the budget, and which institution is using it.
Previously, IndonesiaLeaks found indications of Pegasus spyware operations in Indonesia. Four intelligence information technology practitioners confirmed that Pegasus has been used in Indonesia since 2018. Apart from the National Police, they believe that the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) has also used Pegasus. One of the sources even claimed to have been asked to provide assistance in operating Pegasus. (rr)