Banda Aceh – Banda Aceh Mayor Aminullah Usman has banned residents from celebrating Valentine’s Day or the day of love on February 14.

From an op-ed piece titled Focus on Investment Growth

Jakarta – As many as 40 people’s organisations and civil society groups from the Indonesian People’s Faction (Fraksi Rakyat Indonesia, FRI) have expressed their opposition to the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation or RUU Cilaka.

Muhammad Ridwan – The administration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Vice President Ma’ruf Amin has now been working for 100 days of Widodo’s second term in office.

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition has provided a report on the resolution of cases of human rights violations during the first 100 days of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s second term in office.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) and the Civil Society Coalition have highlighted the government’s bias towards employers and business in the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation.

Muhajir, Jakarta – Hundreds of workers from the Indonesian Trade Union Congress Alliance Confederation (KASBI) held a protest action in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) in Jakarta coinciding with the end of the parliament’s recess period on Monday January 13.

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.

Jakarta – A civil society coalition calling themselves the People’s Front for Human Rights Bandung (Bara Hamba) is urging the Minister for Human Rights and Justice (Kemenkumham) to revoke the Human Rights Friendly City award which was recently given to the West Java provincial capital of Bandung.

Muhammad Ridwan – Becoming an activist, especially a human rights defender, often means confronting the law. Human rights defenders are not exempt from the treat of criminalisation.

The threat of criminalisation was revealed from data compiled by the Civil Society Coalition for the Protection and Defense of Human Rights (HAM).

Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) recorded 1,056 cases related to violations of freedom of assembly in different parts of Indonesia between 2015 and 2018.

Jakarta – The deputy chairperson of Prabowo Subianto’s Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), Fadli Zon, insists that his party rejects Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) because it conflicts with social norms.

Jakarta – The handover of the investigation dossiers and the six suspects charged with raising the Morning Star independence flag to the Central Jakarta State Prosecutor’s Office (Kejari Jakpus) is seen as an attempt by police to avoid the pre-trail suit challenging their arrest.

Kristian Erdianto, Jakarta – During a working meeting with the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto explained the concept of defense and security which he will pursue over the next five years.

Jakarta – Scores of students from the United Student Front (FMB) held an action at the South Jakarta District Court on Monday November 11.

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.

Alfian, Makassar -- The momentum of Youth Pledge Day on Monday October 28 was used by students and local people in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar to again take to the streets to voice their demands.

Pradito Rida Pertana, Yogyakarta – Commemorating Youth Pledge Day, students in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta from the People in Motion Alliance (ARB) held a democracy carnival and people’s platform.

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.

Ardito Ramadhan, Jakarta -- Activists from the Civil Society Coalition held an evening of contemplation and prayer in front of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Red-and-White building in Jakarta on Friday October 11.