Leaders of Blocked Websites Complain to House

Jakarta (Antara) - Online media editors whose websites have been blocked by the Ministry of Informatics and Communications (Kemenkominfo) have complained to Commission I on the Information Affairs of the House of Representatives. \"Some 22 websites have been blocked by the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT). They were blocked without any mediation,\" Aendra, editor of the Voaislam.com, said at the room of Commission I here on Wednesday. He questioned Kemenkominfo\'s move closing the websites without issuing any warning. According to Aendra, on March 30, 2015, online media houses received a letter from Kemenkominfo, which, in essence, notified them about the blockading of the websites based on a recommendation from the BNPT. \"In the letter, they addressed us as websites entertaining radicalism. This should have been explained to us first before blocking our online sites,\" he stated. As a law-abiding state, its government should abide by regulations in force. He pointed out that the blocking of the online sites should have been done on a court order. \"As a law-abiding state, why didn\'t Indonesia study the contents of the websites? We are of the opinion that Kemenkominfo entertained a shallow view (about us) and closed (our) sites,\" he added. (*)