Media freedom in Indonesia is on the brink of ruin, with two senior journalists in Lampung being sentenced to nine months in jail for defamation.

The verdicts on Wednesday are hurtful to democracy, moreover coming on the heels of government efforts to produce a new Criminal Code that will be detrimental to freedom of expression, a legal expert commented.

The two journalists, Darwin Ruslinur and Budiono Syahputra, received the jail terms after they were found guilty of defaming Alzier Dianis Thabranie, chairman of Golkar Party's Lampung chapter. The case surfaced last year when defendant Budiono, the managing editor of Koridor weekly tabloid, was informed by an anonymous Golkar member that Alzier and his colleague Indra Karyadi had yet to disburse an amount of Rp 1.25 billion (US$131,500) to him. The money was supposed to have been distributed by the Golkar member to Golkar supporters. The supporters were to receive Rp 50,000 each during first round of presidential elections last year to encourage them to vote for the presidential candidate backed by Golkar. Darwin Ruslinur, the tabloid's chief editor, said that the case was newsworthy and that should be printed.

The news article, printed on page 18 of the tabloid's July edition last year, was headed "Alzier and Indra Karyadi allegedly embezzle Rp 1.25b Golkar fund".

At Wednesday's court session, presiding judge Iskandar Tjake found that the tabloid never confirmed the story with Alzier and Indra Karyadi, and on this basis he decided that the two journalists were guilty of defamation.[Asia Pacific Media Network]