Indonesia council calls for press freedom after reporter's access revoked

Indonesia's main press council has called for press freedom and urged President Prabowo Subianto's palace to restore reporting access for a CNN Indonesia journalist who had her credentials revoked after asking him about a troubled free meal programme.

Titin Rosmasari, editor in chief of local outlet CNN Indonesia, which licenses the CNN Brand, told Reuters on Monday that the palace revoked the reporter's access on Saturday night, urging the palace to explain its reasoning.

She told magazine Tempo it was related to her question about thousands of school children who fell sick after consuming food served on the free meal programme.

The reporter asked Prabowo on an airfield on Saturday whether he had instructions for the National Nutrition Agency overseeing the programme, news footage shows. Prabowo said he would summon the agency and said "this is a huge matter," adding there is bound to be shortcomings in the programme's beginning and urging caution against politicisation.

The deputy head of the agency in charge on Friday apologised for the recent food poisoning cases, saying there was a lack of oversight and the agency took full responsibility.

Indonesia's press council said on Sunday the palace should explain its reasoning and restore the reporter's access, calling for the protection of press freedom.

Tempo reported no reporters on the airfield were allowed to ask anything, other than about Prabowo's international trip last week, which included a stop at the United Nations headquarters.

Palace spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi did not immediately respond to Reuters seeking comment on Monday. Asked about the revocation of credentials on Sunday, he told reporters the palace's press bureau should find a resolution to the issue.

Nearly 6,000 children have fallen sick after consuming food as part of Prabowo's multi-billion dollar free meal programme since its January roll-out, government data shows, more than 1,000 of whom were impacted last week. 

Indonesia ranks 127th out of 180 countries and territories in the 2025 the World Press Freedom Index by the Reporters Without Borders, having fallen 16 places in one year.