Hoping that President Prabowo Subianto is serious about protecting human rights as absurd as an owl yearning for the moon (wishing for the impossible).

Erick Tanjung, Faqih Fathurrahman – Human rights activists wearing all-black clothing held a "Kamisan Action" opposite Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta on Thursday October 24. This the 837th Kamisan and the first one held in the era of President Prabowo Subianto.

Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia doubts the human rights commitment of the new administration of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

Diamanty Meiliana, Jakarta – The issue of a people's tribunal or pengadilan rakyat has come up again following the 2024 elections that were allegedly marred by election fraud.

Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – The University of Indonesia Political Studies Centre (Puskapol UI) has warned that efforts to mobilise village officials for political support in elections is one of the leadership styles practiced by the New Order regime of former president

Jakarta – A number of parties have protested over statements quoted by the loosing Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno presidential ticket in a legal challenge against the presidential election (pilpres) result with the Constitutional Court (MK).

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).

Andhika Prasetia and Rachmadi Rasyad, West Bandung – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s vice presidential running mate Ma’ruf Amin says that he proposed the release of Al-Mu’min Islamic boarding school leader Abu Bakar Bashir back in 2018. But at the time, Bashir still had to submit an appeal for clemency with President Widodo.

Putra Ramadhani Astyawan, Jakarta – The lawyer for President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and vice presidential running mate Ma’ruf Amin’s election campaign team, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, says that Widodo’s release of Abu Bakar Bashir is evidence that head of state does not criminalise ulama (Islamic clerics).

Ihsan Dalimunthe, Jakarta – The spokesperson for the outlawed hardline Islamic group Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), Ismail Yusanto, has confirmed there have been discussions between HTI leaders and the Crescent Star Party (PBB) on participating in the 2019 legislative elections (pileg).

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – The government has finally completed compiling the Draft Law on a Government for Aceh and is ready to submit it to the House of Representatives (DPR). President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will today – Wednesday January 25 – study the final draft to prepare a Presidential Instruction (Ampres).

Arin Widiyanti, Jakarta – Around 100 students from the Anti-Corruption Student Network (Jaringan Mahasiswa Anti-Korupsi, Jamak) held a demonstration at the Attorney General’s office in South Jakarta on Thursday November 4 demanding the arrest of a number of cabinet ministers.

Suwarjono, Jakarta – According to the results of a survey by the Institute of Social and Economic Research, Education and Information (LP3ES), President Megawati Sukarnoputri and [recently retired Coordinating Minister for Politics and Security] Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono have the most support for becoming the next president.

Fedhly Averouss Bey, Jakarta – The names of six popular presidential candidates have been included in a list of rotten politicians by the University (UI) of Indonesia Student Executive Council (BEM).

[The following is a translation of a statement issued by the Trade Union Alliance Against Rotten Politicians (Aliansi Serikat Buruh Anti Politisi Busuk) on February 3, 2004. The original statement was untitled and the one used here was the choice of the translator.]

Djoko Tjiptono, Jakarta – The 2004 general elections will not be able to provide a solution to the various problems which are being faced by the Indonesian people. This is because in terms of the political parties’ programs, the majority are rotten.

Based on Law Number 31/2002 on Political Parties, no less than 209 political parties in the country – including those who already had the status of a legal body and those who did not – have had their status annulled. As a result, there are now 50 recorded political parties in the country.

Jakarta – Prospective presidential candidates who are involved in cases of corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN), as well as those who have been involved in violations of human rights will not get support from the public.

Jakarta – The New Order regime [of former President Suharto] which was brought down by the wave of demands for reformasi in 1998, is returning to power though the 2004 general elections.

Jakarta – In a press statement issued by the Indonesian Human Rights Monitor (Imparsial), which was presented by Imparsial program director Rachland Nashidik on Friday September 13, [the organisation warned that] legalising the permanent role and powers of the Indonesian armed forces (TNI) in Law Number 15/2003 on the Elimination of Criminal Act