News

June 2020

Indonesia
Kompas.com – June 14, 2020

Rakhmat Nur Hakim, Jakarta – Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) Director Asfinawati says that there are three indications of authoritarianism which are still being displayed by the government during the era of reformasi – the political reform process that began in 1998.

West Papua
CNN Indonesia – June 13, 2020

Jakarta – Former Papuan political prisoner Filep Karma says that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo promised to release all Papuan political prisoners during his administration. Widodo made this pledge, said Karma, to five of his fellow political prisoners in Jayapura, Papua, who were release in 2015.

Indonesia
CNN Indonesia – June 13, 2020

Jakarta – Indonesian Human Rights Watch group Imparsial is asking the government to review the planned involvement of active TNI (Indonesian military) and Polri (Indonesian police) officers in the Agency for Pancasila Ideology Education (BPIP).

West Papua
Suara.com – June 11, 2020

Dwi Bowo Raharjo and Yosea Arga Pramudita – The Civil Society Coalition is urging the police to arrest the perpetrators of terror threatening freedom of expression and opinion who have been attacking journalists and activists of late.

West Papua
CNN Indonesia – June 11, 2020

Jakarta – Activists from the Teknokra Student Press Activities Unit (UKPM) at the University of Lampung (Unila) in South Sumatra say they received threats from unidentified individuals prior to holding an online discussion on the theme “Racial discrimination against Papuans” on Thursday evening, June 11.

Indonesia
CNN Indonesia – June 10, 2020

Jakarta – The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) has rejected an invitation to attend a public hearing with the House of Representative’s (DPR) Legislative Body (Baleg) to discuss the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation on Wednesday June 10.

West Papua
KBR – June 9, 2020

Arjuna Pademme, Jakarta – The family of Papuan treason defendant Buchtar Tabuni says the 17 year prison sentence being demanding by the public prosecutor is unjust.

Indonesia
Kompas.com – June 9, 2020

Rakhmat Nur Hakim, Jakarta – The Indonesian police (Polri) were the institution which the public reported most to the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) in 2019. As many as 744 public complaints received by Komnas HAM questioned the police’s performance.

Indonesia
Kompas.com – June 9, 2020

Achmad Nasrudin Yahya, Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) recorded 38 cases of religious blasphemy between January and May, 2020.

YLBHI Chairperson Asfinawati revealed that there were three pieces of legislation which were used to indict people in these cases.

Indonesia
Kompas.com – June 9, 2020

Rakhmat Nur Hakim, Jakarta – National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) Deputy Commissioner Hairansyah says that 2019 was a gloomy year for human rights (HAM) in Indonesia.

West Papua
CNN Indonesia – June 5, 2020

Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has picked up indications that the Bloody Paniai human rights case in Papua will stall like other human rights cases. The indications of this emerged after the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) again returned the investigation dossier and documents on the case to Komnas HAM.

Indonesia
Sumut News – June 3, 2020

Stepanus Purba, Medan (iNews.id) – Personnel from the North Sumatra (Sumut) regional police General Crimes Detectives Directorate (ditreskrimum) have uncovered a plus-plus massage parlor especially for homosexuals (gays) in Medan city. During the investigation, police detained 11 suspects in relation to the case.

Indonesia
CNN Indonesia – June 1, 2020

Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) is urging the government to halt the involvement of the TNI (Indonesian military) in disciplining people for violating Covid-19 health protocols at crowded locations. The presence of TNI members shows that the government intends to handle the Covid-19 pandemic with a security approach.

May 2020

Indonesia
CNN Indonesia – May 31, 2020

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD has confirmed that there are no parties seeking to revoke the TAP MPRS Number XXV/MPRS/1966 on the Dissolution of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) and Prohibitions of Marxist, Leninist and Communist Teachings.

West Papua
Tabloid JUBI – May 30, 2020

Sorong – Four defendants charged with treason in Sorong City, West Papua province, were finally declared guilty and sentenced to eight months and 15 days jail at the Sorong District Court on Thursday May 28.

West Papua
Suara.com – May 26, 2020

Reza Gunadha and Stephanus Aranditio – Four out of five Papuan political prisoners (tapol) were officially released from the Salemba prison in Central Jakarta today, Tuesday May 26.

Indonesia
CNN Indonesia – May 26, 2020

Jakarta – There has been much discussion on the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) of late. This has raised the question of why discussions on the organisation which has been banned in Indonesia since 1966 has emerged in the month of May.

West Papua
CNN Indonesia – May 26, 2020

Jakarta – Four Papuan political prisoners immediately underwent a corona virus rapid test after being released from Salemba prison in Central Jakarta today. One of them was Paulus Suryanta Ginting or Surya Anta.

Indonesia
CNN Indonesia – May 13, 2020

Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) researcher Egi Primayogha suspects that the practice of state highjacking or state capture has occurred through the revisions to Law Number 4/2009 on Mineral and Coal Mining (UU Minerba). The draft law was enacted into law by the House of Representatives (DPR) on Tuesday.

Indonesia
Antara – May 13, 2020

Imam Budilaksono, Jakarta – The chairperson of the Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) faction in the House of Representatives (DPR), Jazuli Juwaini, says that his fraction opposes the failure to include People’s Consultative Assembly Decree (TAP/MPRS) Number XXV/MPRS/1966 on the Dissolution of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) and Prohibition