The law guarantees protection for environmental defenders who want to maintain a safe and healthy environment from criminal and civil charges. The reality, on the contrary, is that environmental activists are threatened by the law. The latest case is that of Daniel Frits Maurits, an environmental activist from Jepara, Central Java, who is active in the #savekarimunjawa movement. Last December 5, he was detained by Jepara Police for alleged violation of Article l28 Paragraph 2 of the ITE/2016 Law.

The police suspended Daniel's detention a day later but the investigation of this case is considered a form of threat to the struggle for environmental improvement in Indonesia.

"The reporting is very weak. I did not mention any name, identity or group. This is purely to educate the public on what is happening on the coast of Karimunjawa," he said when contacted by cellular, December 8.

He said that his case began with a video uploaded on Facebook social media on November 12, 2022. In the video, he tells how the condition of Cemara Beach, which is polluted by shrimp pond waste.

Later, on February 8, he was reported to the Jepara Police for the 6.03-minute video. The report was filed by Ridwan, Chairman of the Karimunjawa Bersatu Community Association. This association emerged after protests over the existence of shrimp farms in Karimunjawa became more widespread.

Daniel is not too concerned about the legal case against him. He realizes that the problem is part of the risk of fighting for the right to a decent environment.

He is ready to follow the legal process. "For me there is something much bigger than (the reporting), namely the pollution that occurs in Karimunjawa. That is far more important than my problem," he said.

Tri Hutono, Secretary of the Kawali Indonesia Lestari Coalition (Kawali) DPD Central Java regretted the police's move to process the report.

According to him, Daniel's attitude, which often protests the pollution of shrimp pond waste, is protected by law.

"The PPLH (Environmental Protection and Management) law guarantees that those who fight for the right to improve the environment cannot be charged criminally or civilly," he said.

Tri also sees the report not only as an attempt to castrate the community's right to be fully informed about the impact of shrimp farm waste pollution, but also as part of a scenario to deflect the main issue in Karimunjawa.

"The main issue is pollution by ponds in Karimunjawa. That should be what the investigators are investigating because it is clearly illegal, not widening it everywhere."

He believes that the reporting of Daniel is a form of criminalization. In fact, the disposal of waste by the farms has actually caused problems on the coast of Cemara Beach. The beach is dirty and odorous.

According to Tri, waste contamination from hundreds of ponds has caused massive growth of silk moss. Some coral reefs there died because they were covered in moss.

The situation is considered detrimental to the fishermen even though many residents depend on it for their livelihoods, ranging from finding seaweed, fish, to tourism.

"This proves how weak state protection is for those who are struggling to realize a better environment," Daniel said by telephone.

Parid Ridwanuddin, National Walhi's Coastal and Marine Campaign Manager also highlighted this case. According to him, the police must be observant to see the problem.

What Daniel did, he said, was part of an effort to protect Karimunjawa's coastal areas from the contamination of shrimp pond waste. For this reason, the police's move to name Daniel as a suspect contradicts Article 66 of PPLH Law Number 32/2009.

According to Parid, the article guarantees that anyone who fights for a better environment cannot be caught in criminal or civil law. Moreover, in the context of Daniel's case, the alleged pollution has been confirmed by a number of parties, including the Jepara Regency Government.

In fact, the Jerapa Government has formed an integrated team to resolve the issue.

Parid said that those who fight for environmental improvement are not criminals who deserve suspect status. On the contrary, they are the foremost people who volunteer their time and energy for a better environment.