Indonesian court rules internet curbs in Papua unlawful

An Indonesian court on Wednesday ordered President Joko Widodo to make an official apology after ruling that his government's decision to rein in internet speeds to contain civil unrest in the Papua region last year was unlawful.

Demonstrations broke out in a number of cities last August after Papuan students in the city of Surabaya on Java island were allegedly taunted with racist slurs.

As unrest flared across the provinces of Papua and West Papua, the government said it throttled internet access to "prevent hoaxes from spreading" because this could trigger more violence.