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Indonesian police investigate fire that killed journalist and family

Theo

Indonesian police said on Thursday that they were investigating a fire that killed a journalist and three of his relatives in North Sumatra last week, suspecting arson.

Journalist Rico Sempurna Pasaribu, 40, died a week ago when a fire razed his house in Kabanjahe.

His wife, a 12-year-old child and a three-year-old grandchild were…

Indonesian police said on Thursday that they were investigating a fire that killed a journalist and three of his relatives in North Sumatra last week, suspecting arson.

Journalist Rico Sempurna Pasaribu, 40, died a week ago when a fire razed his house in Kabanjahe.

His wife, a twelve-year-old child and a three-year-old grandchild were also killed.

Pressure on police to investigate increased after a group of local journalists claimed the incident could be linked to Pasaribu’s reports of illegal gambling.

“The police work based on facts on the ground, not on opinions and assumptions,” North Sumatra police spokesman Hadi Wahyudi told AFP.

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“We are paying special attention to this case.”

The local journalists’ safety committee said the fire may have been linked to Pasaribu’s coverage of a local gambling event allegedly organized by a military official.

The military said the allegations were being investigated.

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According to Reporters Without Borders, Indonesian journalists investigating cases of local corruption are often intimidated by the authorities.

The Press Freedom Watchdog ranked Indonesia 111th out of 180 countries in its 2024 Press Freedom Index.

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