The rights group recorded 95 attacks against 297 activists, government critics, students, journalists, indigenous people and other victims this year, ranging from intimidation to physical abuse, an increase from last year’s 93 incidents affecting 253 victims.

Police and military personnel, as well as officials from the central government and local administrations, allegedly took part in 55 of this year’s incidents.

One notable act of intimidation occurred in November, when an unidentified person or group sent an explosive package, a dead chicken and a threatening note to the family of human rights lawyer Veronica Koman, a vocal critic of human rights abuses against Papuans. The letter reportedly said anyone sheltering Veronica – currently in self-exile in Australia – would end up like the accompanying chicken.

"Our human rights situation is still in an alarming state," said Nurina Savitri, a spokesperson for the organization’s Indonesian office, on Monday.

 

Shrinking civic space

The use of the controversial Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law to silence government critics also remained a serious threat to discourse and democracy this year.

In late November, South Sulawesi-based journalist Muhammad Asrul was sentenced to three months in prison for defamation under the ITE Law after writing three articles on a graft case allegedly involving Farid Kasim Judas, son of the mayor of Palopo, South Sulawesi. Farid, who is also an official at the city administration, reported the journalist to the police.

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A month earlier, human rights activists Haris Azhar of the Lokataru Foundation and Fatia Maulidiyanti of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) were reported to the police by Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan for alleged online defamation. The minister had taken issue with comments the activists had made in a video discussion on allegations that the business interests of several high-ranking officials, including Luhut, had contributed to increased military activity in Intan Jaya, Papua.

These were two of at least 84 ITE Law cases prosecuted this year, involving 98 people, who were mostly reported to the police after criticizing those in power, according to Amnesty. This year’s figure was down from the 119 cases the group recorded last year, but still higher than the 78 cases in 2019.

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Amnesty Indonesia director Usman Hamid said the persistently high case numbers demonstrated "the urgent need to immediately revise the ITE law, which should emphasize protecting people's rights instead of solely focusing on public order".

The government is finalizing a draft revision of the law and has said it will send the bill to the House of Representatives for deliberation as soon as possible.

 

Treason and unlawful killings

Besides the ITE law, Usman said, treason charges under the Criminal Code were also often used to unduly criminalize peaceful protesters.

At least 26 people were arrested on allegations of treason in Papua and Maluku this year. The most recent incident occurred earlier this month, when eight Jayapura students were charged with treason for raising the Bintang Kejora (Morning Star) flag, which is often construed as a symbol of the Papuan independence movement.

Read also: Human rights deteriorated in Indonesia in 2020: Amnesty

Unlawful killings also persisted in Papua this year, although the number of incidents fell from that of last year. Amnesty found that extrajudicial killings by security forces claimed 15 lives in Papua this year, down from 30 last year.

 

Women's rights under threat

Amnesty also highlighted episodes of violence against women and children allegedly committed by public officials and police officers this year, ranging from physical violence to sexual harassment and rape. The group recorded at least 51 victims of such acts from January to November.

Meanwhile, the government-sanctioned National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) received 4,500 reports of violence against women this year, far higher that the 2,500 reports it received in 2020.

Komnas Perempuan chairwoman Andy Yentriyani said that while this fact showed more women were willing to speak up, it also indicated the pressing need to pass the sexual violence eradication bill.

The bill is currently under deliberation in the House.