The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Friday called for an independent investigation into the house fire that killed journalist Sempurna Pasaribu and three members of his family last month.
The organization stressed the need for accountability for the incident. CPJ’s senior Southeast Asia representative Shawn Crispin said:
Indonesian authorities must do everything in their power to investigate the suspicious death of Tribrata TV journalist Sempurna Pasaribu. If senior military officers were involved in her death in retaliation for her investigative reporting, they must be tried and prosecuted.
The fire, which occurred at 3am in Kabanjahe district, claimed the lives of Pasaribu, his wife Efprida boru Ginting, their son Sudiinveseti and their grandson Louin Arlando Situngkir. Eva Meliani, the deceased’s eldest daughter, confirmed the tragic loss of her family members on June 29.
Sempurna Pasaribu was a journalist with Tribrata TV who had recently reported on the alleged involvement of high-ranking military personnel in an illegal gambling operation in the region. He exposed the activities and named those involved, including by posting personal messages on the subject on his Facebook page. As a result of these reports, Pasaribu received threats and pressure from the parties involved to retract his stories.
His colleagues revealed that he felt anxious and avoided going home, fearing for his safety and that of his family. A witness also described seeing five men near Pasaribu’s house on the day of the fire at around 2:30 a.m., half an hour before the fire broke out.
Eva, Pasaribu’s daughter and director of Tribrata TV’s office, said she felt threatened during her interrogation at the Karo police station. She said investigators forced her to confirm information she had never provided.
Deputy Commissioner Oloan Siahaan, acting Tanah Karo police chief, said police had taken statements from 11 witnesses, including family members and first responders. Crime scene examinations and forensic analysis are underway as part of the investigation. The head of the Indonesian National Armed Forces Information Center said the military’s involvement in the incident cannot be confirmed until further findings are available.
