Paul – The West Papua immigration office insists that it will take firm action against foreign journalists trying to cover the elections in West Papua.

Jakarta – National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) Commissioner Beka Ulung Hapsara says the prosecution of past cases of gross human rights (HAM) violations is being hindered by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) and there is nothing new in the AGO’s latest response.

Pradito Rida Pertana, Bantul – Taking place at the offices of the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta, a group of activists have declared that they will golput – or abstain from voting – in the 2019 presidential election.

Agus Setyadi, Banda Aceh – The Brunei Darussalam sultanate has enacted laws ranging from canning to stoning to death for the crime of homosexuality. Prior to enacting the laws, Brunei conducted comparative studies in Aceh to learn about Islamic law.

Lampung Geh, Bandar Lampung – There has been support and opposition in the aftermath of the short story titled When Everyone Refuses My Presence Near Her (Ketika Semua Menolak Kehadiranku di Dekatnya), which was published on the Suara USU

Surabaya – Dangdut singer Rhoma Irama touched on the Draft Law on the Elimination of Sexual Violence (RUU PKS) in a speech at a campaign rally for presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto and running mate Sandiaga Uno at the Delta Sidoarjo Sports Stadium in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya on Sunday March 31.

Neli Agustina, Medan – Hundreds of students from the Anti-Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Student Alliance held an action rejecting pornographic content at the University of North Sumatra (USU) in Medan on the afternoon of March 29.

Jakarta – An independent team called the Nduga Case Investigation Team has reported a number of alleged human rights violations (HAM) during the military operations conducted by the TNI (Indonesian military) and Polri (Indonesian police) in Nduga regency, West Papua.

Vincentius Jyestha, Jakarta – National Police Public Information Bureau Head Brigadier Dedi Prasetyo says that people inviting others to golput – to abstain from voting – in the April 17 presidential and legislative elections could be prosecuted.

Ikhsan Abdul Hakim – The actions by North Sumatra University (USU) Rector Runtung Sitepu in closing down the student press publication Suara USU (Voice of USU) has been criticised by many parties.

Medan, Sumut News – Students from the group Student Solidarity Speaking Out (Somber) from the North Sumatra University (USU) held a protest action in front of the USU rectorate on Thursday March 28.

Jones Gultom, Medan – A number of student organisations from the North Sumatra University (USU) which are part of the group Student Solidarity Speaking Out (Somber) held a peaceful protest at the USU campus on Thursday March 28.

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Wiranto says that people who invite others to golput – to abstain from voting – in the 2019 elections will be considered anarchists.

Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) says there are 1,466 state civil servants (PNS) who have been proven guilty of corruption but have yet to be dismissed. The state is also suffering financial losses because they are still receiving wages.

Jakarta – The Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR) is protesting a statement by Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Wiranto who stated that people who encourage others to golput – to abstain from voting – in the 2019 elections can be prosecuted by law.

Dwi Andayani, Jakarta – The country’s peak Islamic body the Indonesia Ulama Council (MUI) has declared that taking a position of golput – to abstain from voting – in the elections is haram (forbidden under the Islamic law).

Muhammad Fida Ul Haq, Jakarta – The country’s peak Islamic body the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) has reiterated that the fatwa (edict) declaring that golput – to abstain from voting – is haram (forbidden under God’s law) that was issued at the Assembly of Islamic Scholars in Padang in 2014 is still valid.

Medan – The North Sumatra Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) says it regrets a decision by the University of North Sumatra’s (USU) rector to revoke the Voice of USU’s (Suara USU) editorial board’s Student Press accreditation.

Jakarta – The country’s peek religious body, the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI), is calling on the Indonesian public to use their right to vote on voting day in the 2019 presidential and legislative elections on April 17. Taking a position of not voting or golput is haram – forbidden under Islamic law.

On the afternoon of March 23 around 70 people from various different organisations which are part of the People United Front (FPR) and the Anti-Militarism Students Against Military Operations in Nduga held a protest action in the Simpang Lima district of the East Java provincial capital of Semarang.