Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) has responded to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's statement yesterday asking the public to be more active in conveying criticism by citing the many cases of alleged criminalisation and digital attacks which have occurred over the last three years.

Adi Briantika – A group of Papuan students in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Jakarta, who were planning to hold a protest action opposing the extension of Papuan Special Autonomy (Otsus), were arrested and taken to the Metro Jaya regional police headquarters on Wednesday January 27.

According to the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), there were 351 cases of civil rights violations across the country in 2020, the majority of which were violations against freedom of expression.

Nicholas Ryan Aditya, Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) recorded 351 cases of civil rights violations across the country in 2020. YLBHI organisational development division head Febionesta said that the cases were dominated by violations against freedom of expression and the right to convey an opinion in public.

Dian Erika Nugraheny, Jakarta – Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) advocacy division head Muhammad Isnur says that the government often tends to blame the public for its poor handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Jakarta – Civil society organisations in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta which are part of the Yogyakarta People's Alliance for Democracy (ARDY) have sent a subpoena to Yogyakarta (DIY) Governor Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X over a ban on expressing opinions in public.

Jayapura – Several people from villages in Biak and Supiori, Papua, were reportedly arrested between January 4-7 by a joint unit of TNI (Indonesian military) and Indonesian police (Polri) without arrest warrants.

Irfan Kamil, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid says that the government's decree banning, disbanding and halting all organisational activities by the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) has the potential to discriminate against and violate the right of association.

Tsarina Maharani, Jakarta – Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Coordinator Fatia Maulidiyanti says that the government's plan to upgrade the activities of the cyber police in 2021 threatens civil freedoms, particularly freedom of expression.

Irfan Kamil, Jakarta – Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Chairperson Abdul Manan says that there were many cases of violence against journalists in 2020.

Manan said that what are referred to as violence against journalists are actions which can be categories as attempts to obstruct journalists from doing their job.

The Indonesian People's Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) and the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) again launched actions in several parts of the country on December 19. This time the actions took up the theme, "Trikora: The Start of Indonesia's Colonisation of the West Papua Nation".

Jakarta

Irfan Kamil, Jakarta – The Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy has released its human rights performance index for the first year of the second term of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Vice President Ma'ruf Amin, who were inaugurated on October 20, 2019.

Nicholas Ryan Aditya, Jakarta – Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) researcher Danu Pratama has spelled out critical notes on violations of freedom of expression in the framework of commemorating International Human Rights Day on Thursday December 10.

Nicholas Ryan Aditya, Jakarta – The head of the Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network's (SAFEnet) Association of Victims of the Transactions Law (UU ITE) sub-division, Muhammad Arsyad, says that ITE law lies in wait for 99 percent of internet users in Indonesia.

Irfan Kamil, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia says that the police committed acts of violence when securing the protest actions against the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation in October and November.

Adi Briantika – Police have arrested 15 demonstrators from the Indonesian People's Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) during a protest action at the Bamboo Monument in Sinjai, South Sulawesi.

Jakarta – The West Papua regional police (Polda) arrested 36 people in Manokwari and Sorong city following demonstrations commemorating the anniversary of the West Papua New Guinea National Congress (WPNGNC) on Friday November 27.

Nicholas Ryan Aditya, Jakarta – Forum of Concerned Citizens for Indonesia's Parliament (Formappi) researcher Lucius Karus has highlighted Law Number 11/2008 on Information and Electronic Transactions (UU ITE).

Semarang – Frans Josua Napitu, a Semarang State University (Unnes) student who reported the university's rector to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has challenged the campus administration to an academic debate over accusation that he is involved with the Free Papua Movement (OPM).

Sania Mashabi, Jakarta – The Institute of Research, Education and Information of Social and Economic Affairs (LP3ES) says that democracy in Indonesia is experiencing a retreat, which had already been predicted by the LP3ES in its democratic outlook report in late 2019.