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Activists face ‘danger’ amid shrinking civic space
Human rights activists in Indonesia are under increasing pressure from authorities and other organized groups for simply speaking truth to power.
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Lokataru Legal and Human Rights Foundation executive director Haris Azhar (center) speaks to journalists on Monday upon his arrival at the Jakarta Police headquarters. Haris, along with fellow activist Fatia Maulidiyanti, were summoned for questioning in an ongoing defamation case filed by Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. (Antara/Indrianto Eko Suwarso)
H
uman rights activists in Indonesia have faced crippling pressure in recent weeks for speaking truth to power, as the nation’s civic space continues to shrink amid organized efforts to quash dissent and criminalize outspoken critics.
Coming into the final years of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s administration, civil society organizations (CSOs) are increasingly expressing concern for the state of democracy and human rights.
Most recently, they have called on the government to stop criminalizing human rights defenders, after two renowned activists were named suspects in an ongoing defamation case, filed by Luhut Pandjaitan, a figure who wields substantial power within – and outside – the government.
The Jakarta Police named Lokataru Foundation executive director Haris Azhar and Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) coordinator Fatia Maulidiyanti as suspects in its investigation on Friday, nearly six months since Luhut, the Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister, filed complaints against statements they made during an online discussion.
Luhut accused Fatia and Haris of defamation, the former for her statement that “Luhut is playing around with mining [operations] in Papua these days” and the latter for distributing the content of these discussions via YouTube.
In their discussion, which both activists say was based on vetted findings, Fatia pointed to Luhut’s links to PT Madinah Qurrata’ain, a permit holder for the Derewo River Gold Project in Papua’s Intan Jaya regency, which lies northwest of the Grasberg and Wabu gold mines.
PT Tobacom Del Mandiri, reportedly owned by PT Toba Sejahtera, of which Luhut is a shareholder, is said to have acquired a 30 percent stake in Madinah Qurrata’ain, according to a joint report of CSOs. Luhut denied the claims and took legal action against the two activists.
