Indonesia has to investigate and prosecute the apparatus that used excessive force during the rallies on 22 August 2024, says Southeast Asian MPs

JAKARTA, 23 August 2024 – The ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) are deeply concerned with the excessive use of force such as violence, rubber bullets, tear gas, water cannons or batons against students, human rights defenders and journalists involved in the protest demonstrations with the hashtag #peringatandarurat on 22 August 2024 in Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang, and Makassar, Indonesia.

People hosted rallies in multiple cities in Indonesia, including more than 1,000 demonstrators gathered outside of the House building in Jakarta, to express their rejection of the plan of the House Representatives to ratify changes to Law No. 10/2016 on Regional Elections (UU Pilkada) on minimum threshold requirement to nominate candidates in provincial elections and the minimum age limit of 30 years for candidates, which such action would have reversed a ruling by the Constitutional Court (MK) No. 60 / PUU-XXII / 2024 and No. 70 / PUU-XXII / 2024.

The public protests come after a flood of criticism online, with blue posters with the words “Emergency Warning” over Indonesia’s national symbol of the Garuda circulating on social media.

The police were initially cooperative in the day but became violent in the evening. According to the Advocacy Team for Democracy (TAUD), at least 50 demonstrators in Jakarta were arrested and questioned without legal representation by early morning on August 23, with six of them being minors and 105 people arrested in West Jakarta were freed by 23 August afternoon.

“Police brutality as a response to mass protest cannot be accepted”, said APHR Co-Chair and former Malaysian MP Charles Santiago.

He further said “Expressing opinion in a peaceful assembly is a human right and protected under the Constitution of Indonesia. As the State party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Indonesia is obligated to encourage an environment that is conducive to the exercise of peaceful assembly without discrimination, facilitate peaceful assemblies, and enable participants to accomplish their goals”.

“The use of excessive force by Indonesia’s Police Force in the demonstrations contradicts the Regulation of the Chief of the Republic of Indonesia National Police No. 9 of 2008 concerning Procedures for Organizing, Serving, Securing and Handling Cases of Expressing Opinions in Public and the Regulation of the Chief of Police No. 16 of 2006 concerning Guidelines for Crowd Control”, said APHR Chair and member of the Indonesian House of Representatives Mercy Chriesty Barends.

“I call on the Government of Indonesia to investigate and prosecute all perpetrators committing violence and the use of excessive force against students, human rights defenders and journalists during the rallies on 22 August 2024”, added Philippine Member of Parliament and Board Member of APHR, Arlene D. Brosas.

APHR perceive that the 2024 simultaneous provincial elections could be another occasion to prove that democracy can work effectively in Indonesia, and more importantly, to improve people’s trust in the state institution and guard the legitimacy of the authority in the country.

Therefore, we urge the Government of Indonesia to maintain integrity, independence, and impartiality in carrying out state duties and the people’s mandate following the Constitution.