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View all search resultsNew criticism, old terror
We are again reminded that the space for government critics to express their opinions is shrinking, with a series of terror and intimidation.
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University students carry flags that read Indonesia Gelap (Dark Indonesia) on Sept. 1, 2025, during a demonstration in Yogyakarta. (AFP/Devi Rahman)
T
error and intimidation have long been part of Indonesian politics, including during the relatively democratic period following the downfall of the New Order authoritarian regime.
Even during the early period of the Reform Era, when the atmosphere of freedom and openness was relatively more pervasive, terror and intimidation continued to be in practice with the arsenic poisoning of Munir Said Thalib being the most heinous act of violence committed against pro-democracy activists.
And it seems that the murder of Munir, which remains unsolved to this day, was a harbinger of darker days for political activism in the country.
Throughout the years, activists, government critics and journalists regularly became victims of bullying and intimidation, involving violence or otherwise.
In 2010, an activist with Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) was mowed down by a mob of assailants on the way home from work, shortly after announcing the findings of the anti-graft watchdog’s investigation into “fat” bank accounts of some police generals.
Intimidation became more brazen and at some point was even directed at a member of the law enforcement agency.
In 2017, Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan suffered a serious burn injury after unidentified assailants threw acid on him. Novel had been known as one of the toughest KPK investigators who regularly handled high-profile corruption cases in the country.
