Dwi Bowo Raharjo and Yosea Arga Pramudita – The Civil Society Coalition is urging the police to arrest the perpetrators of terror threatening freedom of expression and opinion who have been attacking journalists and activists of late.

Jakarta – Activists from the Teknokra Student Press Activities Unit (UKPM) at the University of Lampung (Unila) in South Sumatra say they received threats from unidentified individuals prior to holding an online discussion on the theme “Racial discrimination against Papuans” on Thursday evening, June 11.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) has rejected an invitation to attend a public hearing with the House of Representative’s (DPR) Legislative Body (Baleg) to discuss the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation on Wednesday June 10.

Ali Umar – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo must change the government’s approach in resolving the Papua problem. At the start of his first term in office, Widodo managed to offer a new hope in efforts to find a dignified solution in Papua. He granted amnesty to Papuan political prisoners and guaranteed the upholding of human rights there.

Arjuna Pademme, Jakarta – The family of Papuan treason defendant Buchtar Tabuni says the 17 year prison sentence being demanding by the public prosecutor is unjust.

Rakhmat Nur Hakim, Jakarta – The Indonesian police (Polri) were the institution which the public reported most to the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) in 2019. As many as 744 public complaints received by Komnas HAM questioned the police’s performance.

Achmad Nasrudin Yahya, Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) recorded 38 cases of religious blasphemy between January and May, 2020.

YLBHI Chairperson Asfinawati revealed that there were three pieces of legislation which were used to indict people in these cases.

Rakhmat Nur Hakim, Jakarta – National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) Deputy Commissioner Hairansyah says that 2019 was a gloomy year for human rights (HAM) in Indonesia.

Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has picked up indications that the Bloody Paniai human rights case in Papua will stall like other human rights cases. The indications of this emerged after the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) again returned the investigation dossier and documents on the case to Komnas HAM.

Jakarta – Another hammer-and-sickle flag case has again raised its head after a flag with the communist logo was found in Makassar. Over the years such cases have occurred unintentionally, have related to scholarly studies, hoaxes intended to trigger unrests, criminalisation of activists and the revival of identity politics.

Stepanus Purba, Medan (iNews.id) – Personnel from the North Sumatra (Sumut) regional police General Crimes Detectives Directorate (ditreskrimum) have uncovered a plus-plus massage parlor especially for homosexuals (gays) in Medan city. During the investigation, police detained 11 suspects in relation to the case.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) is urging the government to halt the involvement of the TNI (Indonesian military) in disciplining people for violating Covid-19 health protocols at crowded locations. The presence of TNI members shows that the government intends to handle the Covid-19 pandemic with a security approach.

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD has confirmed that there are no parties seeking to revoke the TAP MPRS Number XXV/MPRS/1966 on the Dissolution of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) and Prohibitions of Marxist, Leninist and Communist Teachings.

Sorong – Four defendants charged with treason in Sorong City, West Papua province, were finally declared guilty and sentenced to eight months and 15 days jail at the Sorong District Court on Thursday May 28.

[The following is a translation of a press release issued by the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) following the release of five Papuan political prisoners on May 27.]

Reza Gunadha and Stephanus Aranditio – Four out of five Papuan political prisoners (tapol) were officially released from the Salemba prison in Central Jakarta today, Tuesday May 26.

Jakarta – There has been much discussion on the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) of late. This has raised the question of why discussions on the organisation which has been banned in Indonesia since 1966 has emerged in the month of May.

Jakarta – Four Papuan political prisoners immediately underwent a corona virus rapid test after being released from Salemba prison in Central Jakarta today. One of them was Paulus Suryanta Ginting or Surya Anta.

A recent case in Gowa, South Sulawesi, has highlighted numerous instances of illegal logging uncovered since COVID-19 began to spread across the country. The Environment and Forestry Ministry investigated at least five other similar cases in April alone and many more over the last three months.

Left image: “Indonesia? Whatever! Do whatever you like”

Right image: Stupid trumps Covid

Social media users have deploying the hashtag #IndonesiaTerserah (#WhateverIndonesia) to express their frustration over the public’s apparent disregard for physical distancing measures and the government’s inconsistent COVID-19 policies.