JAKARTA, RAKYAT NEWS— In response to the recent wave of civil protests across several cities in Indonesia following the House of Representatives’ (DPR RI) decision regarding the Regional Elections Bill (RUU Pilkada), Amnesty International Indonesia has issued a strong statement calling for the protection of peaceful demonstrations.

Usman Hamid, Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, emphasized the importance of allowing citizens to express their views peacefully in the wake of the DPR RI’s controversial decision to overturn a ruling by the Constitutional Court.

“Every individual has the right to peacefully express their opinions on the state of the country, including student-led protests,” Hamid stated. “Protesting against state policies or the actions of political elites is not only normal and legitimate but is also protected under international human rights law. It must not be repressed.”

Hamid also warned against the use of state violence, which he argues only exacerbates human rights issues. “We’ve seen this before with the 2019 student protests during the #ReformCorrupted movement and the opposition to the Omnibus Law (#RejectOmnibusLaw).

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The result was tragic, with several students losing their lives and hundreds more being arrested.”

He further stated that peaceful protest is a fundamental part of civil space that must be guaranteed by the state. “International law obligates every country to respect basic human rights principles, including freedom of expression, association, and opposition. A free civil space, free from threats and punishment, is essential to ensuring access to justice.”

Amnesty International Indonesia is urging the government to refrain from using violence and excessive force in response to peaceful protests. “Tear gas, water cannons, and batons have been used recklessly by authorities in previous peaceful protests. This must not happen again,” he warned.

On Wednesday, August 21, 2024, various civil society social media accounts in Indonesia began posting messages calling for a “State of Emergency.”

These calls emerged after the DPR RI overturned a Constitutional Court ruling during the August 21 Baleg (Legislation Body) meeting. One of the DPR RI’s key decisions was to impose a threshold requiring candidates for Governor and Deputy Governor to secure at least 20 seats in the regional legislative council (DPRD) or 25% of the DPRD election vote.

The protests against the DPR RI’s decision have intensified due to Article 24C (1) of the 1945 Constitution, which states that Constitutional Court rulings are final and cannot be revised. Critics argue that the DPR has acted arbitrarily by intervening in judicial authority.

Amnesty International Indonesia’s statement calls on the government to respect and protect the right to protest peacefully, in accordance with international human rights standards.(Uki Ruknuddin)