The following is a statement by the Yogyakarta International Women’s Day (IWD) Committee on the University of North Sumatra’s (USU) censoring of the Suara USU (Voice of USU) student press.

On the afternoon of March 23 around 70 people from various different organisations which are part of the People United Front (FPR) and the Anti-Militarism Students Against Military Operations in Nduga held a protest action in the Simpang Lima district of the East Java provincial capital of Semarang.

Prayugo Utomo – The fate of the North Sumatra University (USU) Student Press Institute’s Voice of USU (Suara USU) is on the “horns of a dilemma”.

Luqman Hakim, Yogyakarta – Women activists from a number of different groups in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta are urging the House of Representatives (DPR) to immediately ratify the Draft Law on the Elimination of Sexual Violence (RUU PKS) as a comprehensive mechanism to deal with sexual violence against women.

Women’s rights activists commemorating International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8 gathered near the Horse Statue monument before holding a long-march to the Aspiration Park in front of the State Palace in Central Jakarta.

Luqman Hakim, Yogyakarta – An alliance of women’s groups in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta held a peaceful action at the zero kilometre point in front of the central post office on Friday March 8 to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD) 2019.

Imam Hamdi, Jakarta -- Activists who are part of Robertus Robet’s legal support team are urging National Police Chief (Kapolri) Tito Karnavian to release the Jakarta State University (UNJ) lecture who was arrested by police on Thursday March 7.

Manado – In the lead up to International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8, a number of organisations in Manado, North Sulawesi, have joined together in the Civil Society Coalition Against Sexual Violence (KMSAKS) to hold actions supporting the Draft Law on the Elimination of Sexual Violence (RUU PKS).

Jakarta – The Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Uno election campaign team (BPN) has admitted that three housewives in Karawang, West Java, who went door-to-door telling people that “the call to prayer would be banned and same-sex marriage would be allowed if Jokowi wins” are indeed election campaign volunteers.

Jakarta – Papua Regional Police Public Information Head Assistant Superintendent Suryadi Diaz is asking all parties not to dramatise or make a big issue out of the use of a snake during an interrogation of a suspect by police.

Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) has denied rumors that they are deliberating a law to legalise Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) activities.

The denial follows rumors about the ratification of a draft LGBT Law (RUU LGBT) in a broadcast message circulated on WhatsApp groups and social media.

Writing above puppeteer’s stick reads “money”, guitar reads “freedom of expression”

Musicians have slammed a new draft law seeking to criminalise content deemed pornographic or blasphemous, saying it could potentially limit freedom of expression in Indonesia.

Jay Akbar – Two politicians have recently joined the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the presidential campaign ticket of incumbent President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and vice presidential running mate Ma’ruf Amin: Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama alias BTP and Muchdi Purwoprandjono, who is better known as Muchdi PR.

Dieqy Hasbi Widhana – National Press Day, which falls on February 9, is a day to remember the murder of Radar Bali journalists Anak Agung Gede Prabangsa in 2009.

Ibnu Hariyanto, Jakarta – In the lead up to the 2019 presidential and legislative elections in April a movement has emerged promoting golput or white movement, meaning those who do not vote for any one of the candidates. Does this violate the law?

Jakarta – Attacking each other, slander and the use of SARA (sectarian and identity politics) being accentuated by the presidential election candidates is disappointing the millennial generation. They are now threatening that if the situation does not improve, they will golput (abstain from voting) in the April 17 general elections.

Jeka Kampai, Padang – The owner of the Nagare Boshi bookshop in Padang, Yanto Tjahaja, says he has been left deeply traumatised by the raid by a team from the TNI (Indonesian military) and the Padang public prosecutor’s office who seized books deemed to contain ‘communist’ ideas from his place of business on Tuesday January 8.

Depok – Depok Mayor Mohammad Idris is asking the public to immediately report to the authorities if they discover sexually deviant or Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender (LGBT) activities in their area so local officials can take action. The Depok municipal government has already issued several regulations on deviant sexual behaviour.

M Guruh Nuary, Jakarta – The 212 Reunion is over and proceeded in an orderly fashion. Presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto however has criticised the media over its coverage of the event at the National Monument (Monas) on December 2.

Pasti Liberti, Jakarta – We’ll just call him Teguh, who along with Hartoyo and his friends are active with Suara Kita (Our Voice), an organisation fighting against discrimination and for the rights of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community in Indonesia.