M Yusuf Manurung, Jakarta – Six Papua activists who are defendants in a treason case performed the song Hindang Makendang before the hearing began at the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday January 20. The song was sung to the accompaniment of a guitar.

M Julnis Firmansyah, Jakarta – One of the lawyers representing six Papua activists being tried for treason, Annisa Rizky, says that her clients are being criminalised for excursing their freedom of expression.

Shinta Maharani, Yogyakarta – Around 100 students from the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) along with various other organisations held a protest action demanding a referendum for West Papua at the Gajah Mada University (UGM) traffic circle in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on Sunday December 1.

Jakarta – The Jayapura district police (Polres) have arrested 34 people for allegedly planning to celebrate the Free Papua Movement’s (OPM) anniversary on Sunday December 1.

Budiarti Utami Putri and Fikri Arigi, Jakarta – The head of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence’s (Kontras) monitoring bureau, Rivanlee Anandar, believes that the speech by Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto about the

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 – 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 – Journalist, filmmaker and founder of the production house Watchdoc, Dandhy Dwi Laksono, was arrested by police on charges of violating Article 28 Paragraph (2) of the Electronic Transaction and Information (ITE) Law on the night of Thursday September 26.

Hans Arnold Kapisa, Jakarta – West Papuan human rights activist and Manokwari Legal Aid Assessment, Research and Development Institute (LP3BH) Director Yan Christian Warinussy is critical of the 61 figures that were included in a delegation of Papuans who held a meeting with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo at the State Palace today.

Devina Halim, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid is of the view that the naming of Veronica Koman as a suspect could create fear among the public about speaking out on issues related to human rights (HAM) violations in Papua.

Iqbal Tawakal Lazuardi, Jakarta – Papuan students in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung feel hurt and angry after being given two boxes of alcohol by a police officer.

Adi Ahdiat, Jakarta – The Nduga Regency Humanitarian Team has again called on the government to withdraw Indonesian military (TNI) and police from Nduga regency in Papua because the military operations being conducted there are terrifying local people.

M Rosseno Aji, Jakarta – The Jakarta Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) says that there has been 26 cases of alleged violence against journalists reported to police in 2019 but not one has been investigated as a crime let alone taken to trial.

Irsyan Hasyim, Depok – The Depok City government along with the Depok Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) are discussing a draft regional regulation (raperda) against Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people. But the policy has attracted protests from a number of groups including human rights and health organisations.

Irsyan Hasyim, Depok – The Depok Love Society has questioned the urgency of planned deliberations on an Anti-Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Draft Regional Regulation or Raperda Anti-LGBT by the Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) which was proposed by the Depok municipal government (pemkot).

Jakarta – National Movement to Safeguard the Ulama Fatwa (GNPF) leader Yusuf Muhammad Martak has said that they plan to hold the 4th Ijtimak Ulama meeting of ulama (Islamic clerics) and national figures soon.

Fira Prameswari, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) researcher Kurnia Ramadhana says that the Corruption Eradication Commission leadership selection committee or Pansel Capim KPK is not supporting the eradication of corruption.

M Rosseno Aji, Jakarta – The Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy has released a survey on student religious patterns in 10 state tertiary institutions. Setara found that there were quite a large number of students who want a state based on religion.

The government must review regional regulations on zonal planning for coastal areas and small islands in various parts of the country which have resulted in the forced eviction of local communities.

These regional regulations have detached fisherpeople, salt farmers and other community groups from their source of livelihood.