Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) has refused an invitation from the Presidential Staff Office (KSP) for a meeting to discuss the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation.

On the afternoon of Friday February 14, 20 or so women and seven men braved heavy rain to take to the streets of the East Java city of Malang to hold a One Billion rising action against sexual violence.

Reza Gunadha and Stephanus Aranditio – Two Papuan political prisoners, Dano Anes Tabuni and Ambrosius Mulait, wrote the word “sampah” (rubbish) on their bodies during a court hearing to cross-examine witnesses at the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday February 17.

Surabaya – One of the Papuan students in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya who was the target of racist abuse last year believes that the five month jail sentence handed down against the defendant Syamsul Arifin was too light.

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.

M Yusuf Manurung, Jakarta – The public prosecutor handling the treason case against six Papua activists has rejected all of the arguments of the demurrer presented by the lawyers representing the six.

Not just rejected the demurrer’s arguments, the prosecutor also explained the aim of the treason charges to the panel of judges.

Jakarta – Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Coordinator Yati Andriyani has slammed a statement by Attorney General ST Burhanuddin who declared that the Semanggi I and II student shootings in 1998 were not gross human rights (HAM) violations.

Jakarta – Amnesty International is urging the Depok municipal government to immediately revoke a call for raids on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) groups in Depok city.

Bambang Noroyono, Jakarta – The level of violence against journalists has remained high throughout 2019. The Legal Aid Institute for the Press (LBH Pers) revealed that it recorded 85 cases of violence against media workers in 2019. LBH Pers Director Ade Wahyudin says that these cases have claimed as many as 79 victims.

Jakarta – The Constitutional Court (MK) has rejected a judicial review of Law Number 12/1969 on the Formation of the West Irian (Papua) Autonomous Province and Autonomous Regencies in the Province of West Irian which was submitted based on the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia.

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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).

Eva Safitri, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud Md says that cases of human rights (HAM) violations are still being used as a political commodity and his ministry is serious about resolving them through a non-judicial mechanism.

Dian Kurniati, Jakarta – The Presidential Palace has confirmed that it plans to revive the law on a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (KKR) which was annulled by the Constitutional Court in 2006.

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.

Racism by the ruling class through the security forces and reactionary civil militia groups against the Papuan people has triggered a fight back. The siege and attack on the Papuan student dormitory in the Central Java city of Surabaya on August 16 triggered a wave of anti-racist protests in Papua and across Indonesia.

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.

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.

Jakarta – The Papua Students Advocacy Team from the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) has reported alleged ethical violations committed by the East Java regional police (Polda) and the Metro Jaya Polda against Surya Anta, Veronica Koman and several other Papuan students who have been declared suspects.

Jakarta – The Social Alliance for Democratic Justice (AMUKK) held a protest action opposing the first stage in the enactment of the Draft Criminal Code (RKUHP) in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Jakarta on Monday September 16.