The 2024 general election was marred by dozens of incidences of intimidation and persecution, especially those targeting people criticizing the election process, human rights group Amnesty International Indonesia said.

The human rights NGO identified at least 16 incidences of intimidation, police reports and physical assault that targeted at least 34 activists who had spoken out critically about the administration of outgoing President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, between the start of the campaign period until Feb. 13, the day before election day.

“Those targeted included artists, journalists and academics who were vocal [in their criticisms],” Amnesty Indonesia executive director Usman Hamid said in a statement released on Friday.

He added that the group also recorded assault targeting people who raised concerns over alleged election fraud, including supporters of the presidential pairs competing against front-runner Prabowo Subianto.

Many media reports, experts and even public officials noted the tacit support President Jokowi demonstrated for his defense minister. Prabowo is also chairman of the Gerindra Party, a rival of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), which backed Jokowi in the 2014 and 2019 elections.

Despite initially pledging his neutrality, analysts observed the President making more overt signals as the presidential election grew nearer.

While standing next to Prabowo on Jan. 24 at a handover ceremony for military aircraft in Jakarta, he remarked that a sitting president was free to back any candidate and also had a right to campaign for their preferred candidate in their free time.

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