Oktaviani – The “sumpah pocong” challenge thrown up by Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Wiranto to former Army Strategic Reserves Command (Green Berets) commander Major General Kivlan Zein is inappropriate.

Resza Mustafa, Semarang – A Kamisan (Thursday) action was held by 32 activist and students from several different groups in front of the University of Diponegoro Statue in the Central Java provincial capital of Semarang on Thursday February 28.

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).

Jakarta – Military observer Khairul Fahmi from the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies (ISESS) says that the plan to place active TNI (Indonesian military) officers in strategic positions in ministries and government institutions goes against the mandate of reformasi.

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan expects that active TNI (Indonesian military) and Polri (National Police) officers will maintain their neutrality if they hold posts in government.

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).

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.

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).

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.

Ibnu Hariyanto, Jakarta – In the lead up to the 2019 presidential and legislative elections in April a movement has emerged promoting golput or white movement, meaning those who do not vote for any one of the candidates. Does this violate the law?

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.

Human rights activists and civil society groups have few expectations that the first presidential debate scheduled for January 17 between incumbent President Joko Widodo and rival Prabowo Subianto will address human rights issues in any substantial way given that neither camp has shown any commitment to protecting civil and political rights or a

Jakarta – The Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR) is questioning the legal grounds for the seizure of books about the banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) and communism in Kediri, East Java, on Wednesday December 26. The ICJR also criticised the involvement of the TNI (Indonesian military) in the raids.

On December 16 President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo attended a gathering of TNI (Indonesian military) village supervisory non-commissioned officers (Babinsa) from throughout Sumatra at the Balariung Pinang Masak, Jambi University, in Central Sumatra.

Ryan Dwiky Anggriawan, Jakarta – Civil society organisations held a march and protest action in Jakarta on Saturday December 8 calling on the House of Representatives (DPR) to immediately enact the Draft Law (RUU) on the Eradication of Sexual Violence.

Desy Setyowati – Civil society organisations will hold a People’s Summit on Alternative Development on October 8-10 in Sanur, Bali. Through the event, activists will demand accountability from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank annual meeting, which is also being held in Bali.

Busrah Hisyam Ardans, Denpasar – The People’s Global Conference Alliance (Aliansi Konferensi Rakyat Global) held a peaceful action in front of the Bali regional police office on September 5 opposing the upcoming International Monetary Fund-World Bank annual meeting.

Scores of students from the People’s Movement Against the IMF-World Bank have held a protest action in front of the Bali regional police headquarters to protest policies that restrict public activities for the duration of an upcoming IMF-World Bank meeting in Bali.

Bastian Tebai, Jayapura – This morning, on Monday September 3, 14 participants of a peaceful action organized by the Papuan People’s Democratic Movement (Garda Papua) were arrested by police.