Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) is urging National Police Chief Idham Azis to cancel the plan by the Covid-19 Task Force to employ preman (street thugs, petty criminals) to enforcing health protocols in markets.

Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – The Press Council has released the survey results on the 2020 Press Freedom Index (IKP) in 34 provinces throughout Indonesia.

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD says that almost 92 percent of candidate regional heads spread across all of Indonesia are funded by cukong (business tycoons).

Box reads: Empty ballot box

The number of sole candidates running in regional elections has steadily grown over the past five years leading to growing concerns that the upcoming polls may undermine the electoral system.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) have warned about potential vote buying in the upcoming simultaneous regional elections, which the government insists on holding on December 9 despite the ongoing Covid-19 epidemic.

Haryanti Puspa Sari, Jakarta – Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Coordinator Fatia Maulidiyanti says that based on Kontras’ records, there were 256 attacks against human rights defenders between January and July 2020.

Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – Amnesty International Executive Director Usman Hamid has again called on President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to keep his pledge to solve the 2004 assassination of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib.

Haryanti Puspa Sari, Jakarta – Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) Director Arif Maulana says that the government has two more years left to solve the assassination of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib before the case expires.

Tsarina Maharani, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Politics, Security and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD has responded to the polemic about political dynasties in the 2020 election of regional heads (Pilkada).

Rakhmat Nur Hakim, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD says that democracy, which has developed rapidly in the public realm, has resulted in the government feeling that it is wrong whatever it does.