Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – Six Greenpeace Indonesia activists who were arrested after staging a peaceful protest at the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout, Jakarta, have been released.
They were previously taken to the police station after displaying a giant banner coinciding with the second anniversary of the administration of Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka, on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
Greenpeace Indonesia's Climate Justice Campaigner, Jeanny Sirait, stated that the activists were released after being questioned by investigators at the Jakarta Metro Police for 12 hours. "This release is not the end of our fight," Jeanny said in a written statement on Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
She expressed appreciation and thanks to the Advocacy Team for Democracy and AMAR Law Firm and Public Interest Law Office for accompanying the legal process of the six Greenpeace activists, as well as to all parties who supported and stood in solidarity with their actions. "This support strengthens the spirit to continue fighting for climate justice, democracy, and the right of the people to voice their concerns," she said.
Jeanny emphasized that the peaceful protest at Hotel Indonesia Roundabout was a starting movement to raise public awareness regarding the climate crisis. According to her, today's climate crisis is increasingly evident, such as through forest fires, floods, droughts, and weather anomalies that threaten people's livelihoods. "The climate crisis has reached our dining tables, through rising food prices and the loss of livelihoods," she stated.
Greenpeace urged the government not to remain indifferent in addressing the climate crisis. She asserted that the Prabowo-Gibran administration must act immediately to tackle the climate crisis and protect the public from hardship. "We will continue to speak out and urge the government to take real action to address the climate crisis and reduce the cost of living," Jeanny said.
The peaceful protest by Greenpeace Indonesia coincided with the two-year mark of the Prabowo-Gibran administration. By unfurling a giant banner at the Welcome Statue in the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout area, the activists voiced their concerns over the climate crisis and the rising cost of living.
One banner read, "Tangani Krisis Iklim, Turunkan Biaya Hidup" (Address the Climate Crisis, Reduce the Cost of Living), facing north toward the Merdeka Palace, while another read, "Bencana Makin Parah, Hidup Makin Susah, Apa Kerja Pemerintah?" (Disasters Are Getting Worse, Life Is Getting Harder, What Is the Government Doing?) facing south at the roundabout.
Responding to the peaceful protest, State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi emphasized that the government continues to make efforts to address the disasters occurring in the country, including forest and land fires. "We are all working hard; everything is being done," Prasetyo told the media on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
This Gerindra Party politician stated that the government does not wish for disasters to occur or to allow them to persist. The government, he explained, has deployed ground troops, air fleets, and volunteers to extinguish the fires.
The handling is carried out considering the characteristics of peatland, which is different from mineral soil. "It is not as if we are doing nothing as said on the banner," Prasetyo clarified.
In addition to extinguishing efforts, Prasetyo assured that legal enforcement actions would be taken against parties involved in the forest fires. Prasetyo stated that the government would impose heavy penalties, including revocation of corporate permits for those proven to be involved. Furthermore, he conveyed that educational efforts would also be intensified. "Because the main factor behind the fires is human actions," he said.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2122019/whats-next-for-greenpeace-after-6-activists-releas