Irfan Kamil, Jakarta – The Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy has released its human rights performance index for the first year of the second term of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Vice President Ma'ruf Amin, who were inaugurated on October 20, 2019.

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders says that the human rights situation has worsened during the second term of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's leadership.

Tsarina Maharani, Jakarta – Freedom House has released the latest research on internet freedom in 65 countries around the world titled “Freedom on the Net 2020”.

The research shows that Indonesia is ranked as partly free. Indonesia was given this category after obtaining an internet freedom score of 49 out of 100.

Dian Erika Nugraheny, Jakarta – Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Commissioner Fatia Maulidiyanti says that that they recorded 158 cases of violations against civil freedoms over the first year of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s second term in office.

Haryanti Puspa Sari, Jakarta – Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Coordinator Fatia Maulidiyanti says that based on Kontras’ records, there were 256 attacks against human rights defenders between January and July 2020.

Jakarta – Hundreds of Papuan students from the East Java cities of Malang and Surabaya held an action on Tuesday August 18 commemorating the racist incident that befell them one year ago.

Jakarta – Activist Veronica Koman says that she is ready to be discarded by the Indonesian government if her activities as a Papua human rights defender are deemed not to support the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).

Jakarta – Human Rights activist and lawyer, Veronica Koman, says that the Indonesian government has asked her to return scholarship money amounting to 773 million rupiah (US$52,760) which she received to pursue her master’s degree in Australia in 2016.

On Monday July 27 in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta, SOLIDER (People’s Solidarity for Democracy) held a commemoration of the Kudatuli affair (the July 1996 riots), which was a manifestation of the conflict between the ordinary people and the New Order regime of former president Suharto.

Jakarta – Labour, farmer and student groups opposing the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation (RUU Cipta Lapangan Kerja) held a protest action on the left side of the House of Representatives (DPR) building’s front gates on Thursday July 16. The groups said that the government and the DPR have failed to grasp the public’s wishes.

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders says that thousands of human rights (HAM) activists advocating Papuan issues have been victims of violence under the administration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. There have been at least 72 cases of legal violations and violence against them.

M Nurhadi and Muhammad Ilham Baktora – An action calling for the release of Papuan political prisoners (tapol) which was held at the zero kilometer point in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on Monday June 15 has become heated. A small disturbance flared up because a police post loudspeaker was too noisy and disturbed the protesters.

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.

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.

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.

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 Erick Tanjung – Six Papuan political prisoners in Jakarta, namely Surya Anta Ginting and his companions are to be released from Salemba prison in Jakarta today, Tuesday May 12.

Jakarta – The Mining Advocacy Network (Jatam) is urging President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to temporarily halt operations by mining companies around the country which they believe are neglecting workers’ safety in the midst of the corona pandemic (Covid-19).

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition from the Indonesian People’s Faction (FRI) is asking the government to evaluate the performance of the police during the corona virus (Covid-19) epidemic. According to the FRI, a number of activists have been intimidated and terrorised.