Usman Hamid, Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, responded by calling the incident a “serious violation” of the rights to free expression, peaceful assembly, and association. He emphasized that campuses should remain neutral spaces, free from state interference—especially from military forces.

“TNI as an institution must investigate the actions of its personnel to prevent similar incidents in the future,” said Usman. “This behavior clearly constitutes intimidation and is not part of the TNI’s constitutional role to protect national defense. Academic discussions are not threats to national sovereignty.”

Amnesty also raised concerns about increased militarization in public spaces, particularly following the recent revisions to the TNI Law passed on 20 March. The organization warned that such actions threaten academic freedom and turn universities into spaces of fear and surveillance.

In response, the Head of Public Relations for the Diponegoro Military Command confirmed that the officer involved was from the Ngaliyan District Military Command. However, they denied any intervention, stating the officer was merely conducting routine territorial monitoring as a Babinsa (village supervisory officer). They also clarified that the unidentified man in black was not affiliated with the TNI. (Uki Ruknuddin)

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