Reiner Brabar, Sorong – The gagging of democratic space that continues to occur in Indonesia shows the failure of claims that Indonesia is a democratic country. Democracy and human rights have suffered a decline, and even the right to civil space is shrinking with the curbing of freedom of expression.

Denty Piawai Nastitie, Jakarta – Criticism from civil society groups has accompanied agreement by the House of Representatives (DPR) to ratify revisions to the Information and Electronic Transaction (ITE) Law.

Juhra Nasir, Jakarta – An action on Friday December 1 commemorating the 62nd anniversary of the declaration of West Papua independence in Sorong city, South-West Papua province, has ended in chaos with protesters throwing rocks at police who responded by firing teargas.

Yufengki Bria, Kupang – A protest action by scores Papuan students in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, has ended in chaos. The students were attacked and assaulted by an ormas (social or mass organisation) then arrested by police.

Jayapura – As many as one hundred and seventy-one (171) individuals from civil society and one hundreds and seventy-nine (179) organisations from various backgrounds have strongly condemned the criminalisation of human rights defenders Fatia Maulidiyanti and Haris Azhar.

Jakarta – Human rights activist and defendant in a defamation case, Fatia Maulidiyanti, claims she never insulted Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan personally in the Lord Luhut case.

Jakarta – Human rights activist and defendant in a defamation case, Haris Azhar, says that the public prosecutor is representing the ruling elite in the trial against him.

Jakarta – Human rights activists and Lokataru Human Rights Foundation director Haris Azhar has emphasised that criminal penalties will not stop the public from criticising unethical practices by the state.

Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – The advocacy team for democracy says it regrets the sentences demanded by the public prosecutor (JPU) against former Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) coordinator Fatia Maulidiyanti and the founder of the

Erdy Nasrul, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid is monitoring a case of alleged intimidation by security forces against University of Indonesia Student Executive Council (BEM UI) Chairperson