Chandra Iswinarno – A commemoration of International Labour Day which was held at the Imbi Park in Jayapura, Papua, was only allowed to proceed for around 30 minutes. Nevertheless, the protesters who came from the Papuan Labour Movement (GBP) were still able to articulate a number of demands.

Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) and the Mining Advocacy Network (JATAM) have again warned that both presidential tickets – incumbent President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and running mate Ma’ruf Amin as well as rival Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Uno – have close ties with retired TNI (Indonesian military)

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 younger brother of missing radical street poet and labour activist Wiji Thukul, Wahyu Susilo, is urging presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto to go to the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) and testify on the abduction and the forced disappearance of democracy activists by the Rose Team in 1997-98.

Imam Hamdi, Jakarta -- Activists who are part of Robertus Robet’s legal support team are urging National Police Chief (Kapolri) Tito Karnavian to release the Jakarta State University (UNJ) lecture who was arrested by police on Thursday March 7.

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition has launched a petition opposing the revival of the TNI’s (Indonesian military) dual socio-political function (dwi-fungsi ABRI).

Rio Apinino – Incumbent presidential candidate President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and running mate Ma’ruf Amin’s have indeed made many sweet promises about protecting and upholding human rights (HAM).

Surabaya – A grouping of civil society organisations calling themselves the “Surabaya Solidarity Society Against Remission for the Murderer of Journalist AA Gde Bagus Narendra Prabangsa” have sent a letter to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) says that the release of former Jakarta governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama should become an impetus for the abolition of Article 156a of the Criminal Code (KUHP) on desecration or insulting religion in the deliberations on revising the draft Criminal Code (RKUHP).

Jakarta -- Civil society organisations grouped under the Civil Society Coalition have declared that not casting a vote or golput (white movement) in elections is a right and not a crime. Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) Director Arif Maulana asserts that not voting or golput is a political choice in a society.

Jakarta – The planned release of Abu Bakar Bashir has turned into a polemic with the government still vacillating about whether or not to release the leader of the Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI).

M Guruh Nuary, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) says that the four year administration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla has failed to resolve past cases of gross human rights (HAM) violations.

Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) hopes that the candidates who will fight it out in the 2019 presidential election can explain their views on what they will do with regard to the Ahmadiyah, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community and the families of former Indonesian Communist Par

Fabian Januarius Kuwado, Jakarta – Human Rights (HAM) activists in Indonesia have few expectations about the first debate between the presidential (capres) and vice-presidential (cawapres) candidates on January 17.

Fabian Januarius Kuwado, Jakarta – The coordinator of the Commission for Missing Person and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Yati Andriani, hopes that panelists will ask hard questions about human rights (HAM) during the first presidential debate which will be held on January 17.

Jakarta – Home Affairs Ministry (Kemendagri) director general for politics and public administration, Soedarmo, has stated that the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) is not registered with the ministry as an ormas (social or mass organisation).

Jakarta – When Vice President Jusuf Kalla (JK) arrived at the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) to commemorate International Human Rights Day on Tuesday December 11, he was greeted with a demonstration by families and relatives of victims of human violations.

Reza Deni, Jakarta – Protesters from an alliance of rights groups held a rally in front of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) offices during a commemoration of the 70th International Human Rights Day on Tuesday December 11.

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia – The spokesperson for President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s election campaign team, Arya Sinulingga, claims that over the last four years of the Widodo administration the government has sided strongly with and provided a place for the fulfillment of human rights.

Jakarta – Human rights activist and former coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Haris Azhar, says that the protection and fulfillment of human rights will not receive any attention from either candidate in the 2019 presidential election.