Jakarta – Surya Anta and five other Papua activists heard the formal charges against them during the first hearing at the Central Jakarta District Court on Thursday December 19. Following their arraignment, Anta and the other defendants presented emotional speeches to the court.

Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has criticised remarks by the new Attorney General ST Burhanuddin when he explained the obstacles to resolving cases of past human rights (HAM) violations to the House of Representatives’ (DPR) Commission III on Thursday November 7.

Jakarta – Civil freedoms under the administration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo are seen as having declined. Based on the results of a Saiful Mujani Research Center (SMRC) survey between May and June 2019, 43 percent of respondents said they were afraid of expressing an opinion in public.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) has released a report which cites educational institutions as one of the main actors in the violation of freedom of expression. Campuses, for example, have prevented students from taking part in protest actions.

Jakarta – Students and other civil society organisations come together on Monday October 28 under the banner of the People’s Border (Borak) to demonstrate not far from the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta to commemorate the momentum of Youth Pledge Day.

Jakarta – On Saturday October 26 President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo attended the opening of the Pancasila Youth’s (Pemuda Pancasila, PP) 10th Convention and 60th anniversary at the Sultan Hotel in Senayan, Central Jakarta.

Jakarta – Pancasila Youth (Pemuda Pancasila, PP) Deputy General Chairperson, Bambang Soesatyo, has stated that the organisation will take a tough stand against anyone who intends to disrupts the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI), the state ideology Pancasila or President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

Kevin Candra, Lea Citra, Jakarta – Newly appointed Attorney General (AG) ST Burhanuddin has promised to make past human rights (HAM) cases a priority during his first 100 days in office. Burhanuddin said that the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) is looking into the evidence.

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.

Jakarta – The announcement and inauguration of the new Advance Indonesia Cabinet members by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Vice President Ma’ruf Amin has attracted a variety of responses. There are some who are happy because they have long awaited such a lineup. There are others however who are disappointed and dissatisfied.

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.

Valda Kustarini, Jakarta – The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) believes there is no relationship between the Draft Law on the Elimination of Sexual Violence (RUU PKS) and the Draft Criminal Code (RKUHP).

Jakarta – House of Representatives (DPR) Commission III Deputy Chairperson Herman Hery from the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction is leaving it entirely up to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on whether to issue a Government Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) to replace the revised Corruption Eradication Commission Law

Indonesia’s political parties have revived a proposal to reinstate the GBHN – the Broad Outlines of State Policy – which used to be issued by the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) to guide and direct national development during the New Order dictatorship of former president Suharto.

Leon Kastayudha – Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie died on September 12 at the age of 83. As the third president of Indonesia, his administration straddled the upheavals of Suharto’s New Order regime and reformasi – the political reform movement that began in 1998.

Ahmad Jilul Qurani Farid, Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I has asked Foreign Affairs Minister (Menlu) Retno Marsudi to prevent the internationalisation of the Papua issue so it is not used as propaganda by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) led by Benny Wenda.

Jakarta – Inter-faith religious leaders have called on the government to be careful in dealing with the problems in Papua.

Dian Kurniati and Khairunnisa, Jakarta – Suciwati, the wife of Munir Said Thalib, is urging President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to order the Attorney General to submit a judicial review of one of the prime suspects in Munir’s murder, Muchdi Purwoprandjono, who was declared not guilty in 2008.

On Friday the 21st of June 2019, the Ministry of Education and Culture resolved to work collaboratively with the Indonesian National Armed Forces in disseminating material to new students during school orientation week.

Jakarta – The Papuan student dormitory in the Kalasan area of the East Java city of Surabaya was besieged by hundreds of people from various ormas (mass or social organisations) on the afternoon of Friday August 16.