Klojen (Surya Malang) – Journalists in the East Java city of Malang held a peaceful action at the Freedom Square to commemorate International Press Freedom Day on Friday May 3. This year’s action was different from those held in previous years.

Eva Mazrieva, Washington DC – In mid-April Reporters Without Borders (RSF) released its annual report and world press freedom index. Surprisingly, Indonesia was still in 124th place meaning press freedom has stagnated and there has been absolutely no progress since 2018.

Jakarta – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo held a meeting with trade unions leaders in the Garuda Room at the Bogor Presidential Palace in West Java on Friday April 26. Widodo was accompanied by Labour Minister Hanif Dhakiri and Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko.

The 2019 Jakarta Women’s March will be held on Saturday April 27 with the slogan #BeraniBersuara (ReadyToSpeakOut). This year, the action will be held close to Kartini Day – making the birthday of turn-of-the-century feminist hero Kartini – which is commemorated on April 21 each year.

Jakarta – Former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chief Bambang Widjojanto says that the petition signed by KPK staff citing obstacles faced in indicting ‘big fish’ indicates an attempt to obstruct justice by officials within the KPK and elements of the commission’s leadership.

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.

The following is a statement by the Yogyakarta International Women’s Day (IWD) Committee on the University of North Sumatra’s (USU) censoring of the Suara USU (Voice of USU) student press.

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.

At least 16 civil society groups in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung commemorated International Women’s Day (IWD) with a march on Friday March 8 demanding equality for women.

The group, calling itself the Clamber Alliance, focused on demanding rights for women workers, women’s farmers and women working in education.

Fitria Chusna Farisa, Jakarta – The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) is urging police to release Jakarta State University (UNJ) lecturer and human rights activist Robertus Robet who has been indicted on charges of insulting the authorities or a public agency in Indonesia.

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.

Manado – In the lead up to International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8, a number of organisations in Manado, North Sulawesi, have joined together in the Civil Society Coalition Against Sexual Violence (KMSAKS) to hold actions supporting the Draft Law on the Elimination of Sexual Violence (RUU PKS).

Rabul Sawal – Scores of students from the 2019 (Bourgeois) Election Boycott Committee (Komite Boikot Pemilu (Borjuis) 2019), held a protest action rejecting the 2019 presidential and legislative elections (pemilu).

Dieqy Hasbi Widhana – National Press Day, which falls on February 9, is a day to remember the murder of Radar Bali journalists Anak Agung Gede Prabangsa in 2009.

Devina Halim, Jakarta – National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas HAM) chairperson Azriana Manalu has revealed that the government has discarded as many as 100 articles from the Draft Law on the Elimination of Sexual Violence (RUU PKS). Komnas Perempuan is one of the initiators of the RUU PKS.

Devina Halim, Jakarta – The Pro-Women’s National Legislation Program Network (JKP3) is calling on the House of Representatives (DPR) and the government to straighten out fake news or hoaxes about the Draft Law on the Elimination of Sexual Violence (RUU PKS).

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.

Heru, Dian, Astri, Hermawan, Rei, Jakarta – Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu supports the proposal by Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo to conduct nationwide raids on communist books. Ryacudu claims that the raids are to prevent retaliation by Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) members who want revenge for the 1965 affair.

Taufiq Siddiq, Jakarta – Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo is proposing that massive raids be carried out to hunt down books which contain communist teachings and banned ideologies. The proposal was made after the seizure of hundreds of books around the country allegedly containing “banned ideas”.

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.