Why is supporting Saiful Mahdi important to Australia and Indonesia?

Last week, Indonesian academic Saiful Mahdi was jailed. Dr Saiful Mahdi had been found guilty of slander under Article 27, paragraph 3 of the Indonesia’s Electronic Information and Transaction Act (ITE). A number of Australian academics expressed concern about the sentence and sent the Indonesian President a letter of amnesty request for Dr Saiful Mahdi.

Dr Saiful Mahdi (left), Syiah Kuala University and Prof Budi Resosudarmo, ANU. Dr Mahdi has been charged with defamation. Another victim of IT law? Source: Courtesy Prof Budy P. Resosudarmo - Syiah Kuala University, 2019.

Professor Budy P. Resosudarmo is the Education Director of the Crawford School of Public Policy, Deputy Head of Poverty and Inequality Research Centre and a researcher and former Head at the ANU Indonesia Project.  He explains to Sri Dean the history of the case and why the Australian academics feel so strongly about Dr Mahdi case.

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Some Australian Academics working on Indonesia has sent a letter to President Jokowi requesting amnesty for Dr Saiful Mahdi. Source: Courtesy Prof Budy P. Resosudarmo