Indonesian Democracy and Human Rights Challenges

Indonesia’s human rights community faces serious challenges related to the deteriorating state of democracy and increasing pressure on activists. YLBHI Chairman Muhammad Isnur expressed deep concern over the state of democracy and the rule of law in the country. He states that the existing indices used to assess democracy and law enforcement show stagnation or even decline, indicating structural problems in the political system. According to him, the 2024 democracy index fell to 6.44, indicating a significant deterioration of democratic institutions and press freedom. Isnur emphasizes that in the past year, YLBHI has had to support 58 cases involving human rights defenders who are subjected to criminal prosecution. Activists become victims of wrongful application of criminal provisions and information laws. In addition to this, he mentioned issues related to the protection of natural resources and attacks on lawyers who oppose deforestation and illegal mining. Calling for accountability, Isnur points to the need for radical changes in the legislative framework and stricter oversight of actions by both state bodies and corporations.