Intan Setiawanty, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia reported that at least 5,538 people were arbitrarily arrested, subjected to violence, or exposed to tear gas in 2025 while exercising their right to express opinions in public, amid what the organization described as a growing repressive approach by the state toward public protests."Throughout this year alone, 5,538 people were arbitrarily arrested," Usman Hamid, Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, said in a statement issued on Monday, December 29, 2025.
Amnesty noted that large-scale protests took place between March and August 2025 over a range of issues, including revisions to the Indonesian Military (TNI) Law, labor rights, national strategic projects, and parliamentary benefits.
Rather than engaging in dialogue, authorities were said to have relied on heavy-handed security measures to disperse demonstrators.
According to the organization, law enforcement frequently used excessive force during the protests. Amnesty also documented the deployment of tear gas canisters containing explosive materials during demonstrations in late August, warning that such weapons carried a high risk of causing permanent injuries.
Instead of conducting a thorough evaluation of these incidents, the National Police chief issued Regulation No. 4 of 2025, which Amnesty said loosened restrictions on the use of firearms by police officers.
The group described the regulation as dangerous, arguing that it could further expand opportunities for abuse of power.
"The authoritarian character of the government and parliament is evident in the way these policies are formulated," Usman said.
Amnesty also raised concerns over the enactment of the revised TNI Law and the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP), noting that several provisions could enable arbitrary arrests and broaden the use of coercive measures by law enforcement agencies.
Beyond mass arrests, protesters were also subjected to stigmatization, the organization said. Officials and security forces frequently labeled demonstrators as "anarchists," "provocateurs," or even "terrorists."
In some cases, activists faced prosecution, while alleged perpetrators of violence were not adequately investigated.
"This is a classic tactic used to silence criticism," Usman added.
Repression, Amnesty said, extended beyond street demonstrations. Throughout 2025, at least 283 human rights defenders were attacked, ranging from criminal charges to attempted murder, with journalists and indigenous communities among the most affected.
Amnesty warned that these patterns point to a serious contraction of civic space in Indonesia. If left unchecked, the organization cautioned, repressive law enforcement practices risk becoming the new norm.