On Tuesday December 23, the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) management launched its Year-End Report (CATAHU), which based on a snapshot of case handling by 16 Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) regional offices and two LBH projects in 18 provinces.
Over the past year, 3,035 cases were handled covering 131,199 beneficiaries. Direct advocacy was provided in 508 cases and legal consultations were provided in 2,505 cases. The report covered three categories of rights violations in the civil and political sectors: the right to security and personal integrity with 187 cases, socio-economic and cultural rights namely the right to ownership with 250 cases, and the protection of specific groups namely the right to legal aid with 146 cases.
"These are not (just) numbers, these are not statistics. These are people's lives. These are the lives of people. This is people's future. I feel deeply that the price of freedom and independence is extremely high. It is built on sweat, blood, even lives and also the unseen work of the YLBHI, our solidarity partners and our network of friends", said Jorgiana Augustine, one of the beneficiaries of YLBHI-LBH's legal aid.
"The YLBHI's CATAHU is a reflection of the face of this republic, the decay and destruction of democracy, the rule of law and human rights are reflected there. This is not just a report, but rather reading material so that civil society can be more prepared and take strategic and tactical steps to stop this", said YLBHI Chairperson Muhammad Isnur.
This report depicts the situation and a pattern of human rights violations along with the betrayal of the rule of law and democracy. This state of affairs is being brazenly displayed by the administration of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka in several sectors, as follows:
First, Indonesia's civil space and democracy are under threat. The YLBHI noted patterns including attacks on activists and human rights defenders, silencing of the press and artistic activities, neglect of participation in the formulation of laws, arrests and mass violence against demonstrators. These patterns of narrowing of civil space are also exacerbated by threats of prosecution and criminalisation.
Civil space and democracy are being narrowed, while militarism today is increasingly strengthened: we call it the era of the Military Pandemic. This sector represents one of the most significant setbacks. Instead of focusing on national defence, the Indonesian Military (TNI) is increasingly involved in politics, government and even business. The TNI's multifunctional role has been revived through revisions to the TNI Law, resulting in military interference in civilian affairs such as National Strategic Projects (PSN), the food estate in Merauke (South Papua) and the Free Nutritional Meals (MBG) program. Tragically, TNI soldiers are being placed in strategic positions such as the president director of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog), the state-owned plantation company PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara, the state-owned tin producer PT Timah and several other strategic positions.
Second, in the natural resources sector, the YLBHI and the 18 LBH regional offices have handled 106 agrarian conflicts over the past eight years, covering 843,000 hectares of affected land, resulting in 91,938 casualties and 40 cases of criminalisation. Of the 106 conflicts, 40 were in two sectors namely PSNs and plantations. The deployment of security forces in civilian areas is used to facilitate PSNs, which often end in land grabbing and human rights violations. This practice is legitimised by various regulations that facilitate land acquisition, but in practice it is often accompanied by intimidation and violence, such as threats against the Malind indigenous community in Merauke and violence against residents to make way for the Eco City project on Rempang Island. Furthermore, the revision of the Mineral and Coal Mining Law (UU Minerba) through Article 17A has the potential to legalise the eviction of residential and agricultural land for mining purposes.
Third, the YLBHI report highlights the state's efforts to bury the sins of past human rights violators. There are systematic efforts to obscure the history of gross human rights violations, marked by the Coordinating Minister for Law and Human Rights' statement denying the May 1998 tragedy as a gross human rights violation and pressure on the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) to not discuss the Bumi Flora case in East Aceh in 2001 and the 2004 assassination of renowned human defender Munir Said Thalib. This aligns with the discourse on awarding former president Suharto the title of national hero, which contradicts the legal basis for such awards, including 1998 People's Consultative Assembly Decree (TAP MPR) 11 and the Supreme Court ruling that Suharto committed unlawful acts and caused losses to the state.
Fourth, this is taking place amidst the massive destruction of the rule of law, democracy and human rights by the government. This situation has unfortunately been accompanied by drastic budget cuts to state oversight institutions such as the Komnas HAM, the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK), the Judicial Commission and similar institutions. This contrasts sharply with the massive budgets allocated to security sectors such as the TNI and the National Police (Polri).
Finally, amidst these chaotic humanitarian issues, hope continues to burn as an antithesis to the state's failure to ensure the welfare of its people. This hope lives in the strengthening of the people's movements that grow from below. The YLBHI management expresses its highest appreciation for all the collective initiatives that have emerged from the solidarity of citizens helping others during disasters, actions of mutual protection and various other forms of resistance and solidarity. We emphasise that no matter how much the state breaks down the principles of the rule of law, democracy and human rights we, along with the people's movement, will continue to stand together: standing tall, resisting and always opposing arrogant power!
With respect,
Jakarta, December 23, 2025
Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation Management
