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Rights advocates need more protection after raid at LBH APIK: Activists
On Feb. 3, dozens of people forcefully entered and threatened to damage the LBH APIK office in East Jakarta. Four of them claimed to be members of the Matraman Police, though none were wearing uniforms nor produced a warrant.
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Illustration of gender-based violence (Shutterstock/rudall30)
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hreats, intimidation and attacks on human rights defenders, especially women, have occurred far too often and should no longer be seen as the norm, a rights group has said, calling for more measures to end the violence.
The recent raid conducted on the office of the Legal Aid Foundation of the Indonesian Women’s Association for Justice (LBH APIK) by a group of men, which included police personnel, has raised alarms about the lack of protection for the country’s activists.
On Feb. 3, dozens of people forcefully entered and threatened to damage the LBH APIK office in East Jakarta. Four of them claimed to be members of the Matraman Police, though none were wearing uniforms nor produced a warrant. One man started a video call with someone from the National Police — or so he claimed.
The man who led the group, AA, accused the LBH APIK of abducting and hiding his 21-year-old daughter, DW.
The foundation confirmed that DW had come to the LBH APIK office on Jan. 30 asking for legal assistance. She told LBH APIK counselors that she had left her parents’ home a week before because of their violent behavior toward her, especially during arguments about her boyfriend.
She added that on Feb. 1 a police officer named TR had looked for her at her boyfriend’s house in Matraman. TR later called her and asked for a meetup, to which DW agreed but stipulated that they do so at the LBH APIK office on Feb. 3. During their meeting, DW said she explained to him her reasons for running away and gave him a letter to pass on to her parents.
After TR left, the LBH APIK staff asked DW to leave. Half an hour later, TR returned with another alleged policeman, PR, accusing LBH APIK of hiding DW and asked to search its premises. The LBH APIK staff resisted and the two men left.
