Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) in a letter to Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia has expressed concern over the attacks on journalists after unrest erupted during a protest against the election results of Indonesia.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in his letter has denounced the attack on journalists working in the line of duty and urged the authorities to immediately investigate the matter and hold those officers and protestors involved behind attacking journalists.

According to the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), on May 22, at least seven journalists have been assaulted and threatened while covering the rally that converted into a riot around the Election Monitoring Agency’s Bawaslu building.

The journalists were stopped by the police from coverage of the arrest of individuals suspected of inciting the public.

The journalists attacked included, Budi Tanjung of CNN TV Indonesia, Ryan of CNNIndonesia.com, Ryan of MNC Media journalist, Fajar of Radio Sindo Trijaya, Fadli Mubarok of Alinea.id and a reporter and cameraperson from RTV.

Tanjung of CNN TV was hit on the head and the footage he recorded on his cellphone was deleted by the members of the Police Mobile Brigade in front of the Gereja Kristen Indonesia church on Jl. Wahid Hasyim, Central Jakarta.

In another incident, Ryan of CNNIndonesia.com was covering from Jl. Jatibaru, Central Jakarta. He was recording the scene of police detaining suspected instigator.

The members of the Mobile Brigade and people in civilian uniforms started beating Ryan, he was hit on his face, neck, shoulders and upper right hand. The officers also seized his cellphone and asked him to delete the video.

The protestors also attacked the journalists, seized their equipment’s including camera, cellphones and recorders. They forced the journalists to remove all the photos and video recordings of the protests.