Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Agnes Callamard, the Secretary General of Amnesty International, stated that Indonesia is experiencing human rights protection degradation. In fact, Indonesia is cited as a prominent example.
According to Agnes, global human rights protection is also on the decline. "Our report shows that universal human rights worldwide are at a critical juncture," said Agnes during a virtual discussion in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday, 29th April 2025.
She explained that the decline in the quality of human rights and the rise in authoritarianism are occurring everywhere, including in Europe, Africa, America, and Asia. Indonesia, she said, is a case in point, where the human rights protection is slowly degrading and the authoritarian practices are on the rise.
Amnesty International's report on the global human rights situation highlights several incidents in Indonesia, including the excessive force exercised by police during protests across several regions.
One case that caught Amnesty International's attention is the arbitrary arrests during the series of #PeringatanDarurat, or #EmergencyWarning protests in August 2024. Their report mentioned that 344 protesters were arrested, and at least 152 people suffered physical injuries.
The Amnesty International report also highlights human rights violations in Papua. "In Papua, unlawful killings of civilians continued with impunity within the context of the conflict between the Indonesian military and armed separatist groups," as stated in the Amnesty report.
Other aspects of human rights highlighted by Amnesty International include development projects that have adverse impacts on local communities, the use of spyware by authorities, and the candidacy of Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the son of former President Joko Widodo, as a vice-presidential candidate through the alteration of formal requirements.
At the same event, Diah Kusumaningrum, a lecturer of international relations at Gadjah Mada University, stated that Indonesia is experiencing an increase in authoritarian practices. She highlighted Indonesia's score in the Freedom House index, which has declined. The index measures the level of political freedom and civil rights in various countries.
Diah mentioned that Freedom House categorized Indonesia as a fully democratic country in 2014. However, in 2025, the non-profit organization categorized Indonesia as a country that is "partly free."
Diah stated that the drop is due in part to the consolidation of power by autocrats. "The autocrats do not immediately close the democratic door, but instead use democratic instruments to consolidate their power," she said.