The organization called on the President to immediately stop making unfounded accusations against civil society groups. Amnesty emphasized the importance of guaranteeing public access to lawful and peaceful means of protest, especially in a democratic country like Indonesia.

President Prabowo’s controversial remarks were delivered during the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) Congress held in Solo on Sunday, July 20. He alleged that civic protests like Indonesia Gelap and the viral hashtag #KaburAjaDulu were orchestrated and financed by corrupt actors.

“There are people playing smart, acting like leaders, but all they spread is pessimism. ‘Indonesia is dark, better to run away.’ Run away? Go on then!” Prabowo said during his speech. “It’s all fabricated. Paid for. By whom? By those who want Indonesia to be chaotic, poor. These corrupt people are funding those protests,” he continued.

This is the second time Prabowo has publicly questioned the legitimacy of Indonesia Gelap. In February 2025, during a speech at the Democratic Party Congress in Jakarta, he also dismissed the narrative of a “dark Indonesia” as unpatriotic and misleading.

Indonesia Gelap became a rallying theme for student and civil society protests held across multiple cities from February 17 to 21, 2025. The demonstrations highlighted widespread dissatisfaction with the Prabowo-Gibran administration’s first 100 days, criticizing policies related to budget cuts, controversial mining legislation, and delays in passing the Asset Forfeiture Law.

Simultaneously, the hashtag #KaburAjaDulu trended on social media, expressing netizens’ frustration and satirical calls to leave the country in response to what they perceived as anti-democratic and anti-people governance.

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