Valda Kustarini, Jakarta – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has appointed constructional law expert Mahfud MD as the new Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs (Menko Polhukam).
Despite this, Mahfud’s appointment may not guarantee that the government will soon solve cases of past gross human rights violations.
Wahyu Setiawan, Jakarta – IndonesiaLeaks has questioned the national police headquarters’ decision to halt the criminal investigation into alleged evidence tampering in the case of beef imports, better known as the Red Book case.
Reza Gunadha, Eleonora Padmasta Ekaristi Wijana – Lawyer and human rights activist Veronica Koman has been awarded the Sir Ronald Wilson Human Rights Award by the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID).
The ACFID presented the award to Koman at its annual conference in Sydney on the evening of Wednesday October 23.
Reza Gunadha and Novian Ardiansyah – The 212 Alumni Brotherhood (PA 212) is calling on Prabowo Subianto to repatriate Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) leader Muhammad Rizieq Shihab within 100 days after being inaugurated as the new Defense Minister (Menhan) by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.
Walda Marison, Jakarta – On Tuesday October 22 a lawyer from the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Jakarta) submitted a pre-trail suit against the Metro Jaya regional police over the arrest of six Papua activists who were charged with treason for flying the Morning Star independence flag in August.
Jakarta – Students protesting near the Horse Statue in Central Jakarta today said they hope that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo will not betray the people during his second term in office.
Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – Today, exactly five years ago, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo was inaugurated as the president of the Republic of Indonesia for 2014-2019. Today, on Sunday October 20, Widodo was again inaugurated as president of Indonesia for 2019-2024.
There was a striking difference however between the two inaugurations.
Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia Director Usman Hamid says that it will be difficult to stop the current attempt to weaken the fight against corruption by crippling the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
Jakarta – The Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) offices in Medan, North Sumatra, has been attacked by molotov cocktails thrown by unidentified assailants. Police are currently searching for two people beloved to have thrown the bombs.
Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo refused to answer a question from a journalists about progress in solving the acid attack against senor Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan. Widodo instead responded the question by talking about the makeup of the next cabinet.
IndonesiaLeaks, Jakarta – On Thursday October 17 IndonesiaLeaks released excerpts from a CCTV video recording which is said to show Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigators allegedly destroying evidence.
Jakarta – Students have taken to the streets on the first day that the revised Corruption Eradication Commission Law (UU KPK) came into effect. The students are urging President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to issue a government regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) to annul the law.
Jakarta – Activist and human rights lawyer for Papuan affairs, Veronica Koman, has met with Australian parliamentarians in Canberra. She said that during the meeting she asked the government of the Kangaroo Country to play a more active role in ending the bloodshed in Papua.
Muhammad Aminudin, Malang – Seven young people in the East Java city of Malang took turns in reading out quotes from the Fact Finding Team (TPF) report on the assassination of Munir.
Jakarta – Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Chairperson Abdul Manan predicts that violence against journalists by security forces will still represents a real threat under the next administration of president and vice president elect Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Ma’ruf Amin.
Egi Adyatama, Jakarta – Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Syafruddin has emphasised that state civil servants or ASN are not allowed to criticise the government in public. If they do, he assured them that they will have to be prepared to face criminal charges.
Jakarta – The Institute for Public Research and Advocacy (Elsam) says that freedom of expression and opinion in Indonesia has declined since 2014. Citing data from the Freedom House website, Elsam said that for the last five years freedom of expression in Indonesia has been rated as no longer free.
Deti Mega Purnamasari, Jakarta – The Draft Law on the Elimination of Sexual Violence (RUU PKS) has still not been ratified. The group Women’s Solidarity believes that this is because lawmakers in the House of Representatives (DPR) have no immediate interest in doing so.
Jakarta – Jakarta Metro Jaya regional police chief Gatot Eddy Pramono has emphasised that they will not issue permits for people wanting to hold protests in Jakarta. The ban will remain in place from Tuesday October 15 through to the inauguration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Vice President elect Ma’ruf Amin on Sunday October 20.
Jakarta – The AMAR Law Firm and Public Interest Law Office says that 37 tertiary education institutions have threatened to sanction students who take part in #ReformasiDikorupsi (Reform Corruption) demonstrations to coincide with the inauguration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on October 20.
