On 28th and 29th August 2025, tens of thousands of Indonesian workers protested across provinces and sub districts such as Manokwari, Semarang, Solo, Magelang, Medan, Bengkulu, and Tegal with the epicenter of protest in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) in Jakarta. Protesters demanded a minimum wage increase of 8.5 – 10% for 2026, a halt to mass layoffs, the abolition of outsourcing, comprehensive tax reform, the enactment of a new labor law in line with Constitutional Court Decision No. 168/2024, as well as the passage of the Asset Confiscation Bill and revision of the Election Law. These demands reflect workers’ fundamental rights to decent work, social protection, and democratic participation. 

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Three days earlier, 25th August 2025, hundreds of students and civilians were protesting in front of the DPR building after the recent report that lawmakers had received several upgrades on allowances, one of which regarding monthly housing allowance for 50 million rupiah ($3,000 per person), which makes 10 times the minimum wage in Jakarta, while a period of massive layoffs for more than 80,000 labours, influx of more than 100% to property tax, as well as budget cuts for education and universities occurred in the same timeline. The Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) documented that the demonstration ended with 12 injured civilians and 351 arbitrarily detained – of whom 196 were minors – and the use of water cannon as well as expired tear gas which indiscriminately affected residential areas.

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The state apparatus’ responses to the 28th and 29th August protest raised deeper grave concerns. KontraS documented a series of excessive use of force practices from the Indonesian National Police (Polri) which include acts of live bullet shootings, torture, assaults,  arbitrary arrests, forced dispersals, and the uncontrolled use of crowd-control weapons. Hence, resulting in more or less 113 severely injured civilians, 3 deaths, and 734 arrests. These figures illustrate an alarming pattern of systematic violence against civilians exercising their constitutional rights.

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One of the most tragic incidents occurred in Jakarta on 28 August 2025, when Affan Kurniawan, a young online ride-hailing driver and sole breadwinner for his family, was killed after being run over by a tactical vehicle of the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) during the protest. His death not only represents an arbitrary deprivation of life in violation of Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), but also illustrates the disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force by Indonesian security forces against civilians. The killing of Affan underscores how state violence directly targets ordinary citizens whose only “crime” was exercising their right to be present in a public protest space.

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The use of excessive force, arbitrary arrests, and acts amounting to torture not only contravene Indonesia’s obligations under international human rights law including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention against Torture (CAT), but also directly violate Indonesia’s own national legal framework. In particular, Indonesian Regulation of the National Police Chief (Perkap) No. 1 of 2009 on the Use of Force and Perkap No. 16 of 2006 on Crowd Control explicitly require law enforcement officers to adhere to the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality, and accountability. The current practices reveal systemic breaches of these standards, undermining the rule of law and eroding public trust in state institutions.

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For the worse, former Chief of State Intelligence Agency A.M Hendropriyono narrates that an actor outside Indonesia orchestrated the demonstration. It has been a stigmatization pattern that one of the main narratives set up by the state apparatus is CSOs’ involvement with international entities and how the organizations are perceived as the henchmen of foreign or western entities (antek asing).

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The mentioned incidents are not isolated. Instead, they reflect a recurring pattern of police violence against peaceful assemblies in Indonesia, from past protests such as the Reformasi Dikorupsi in 2019, Omnibus Law in 2020, Peringatan Darurat in 2024, to demonstrations against National Strategic Projects such as Rempang in 2023 and Papuan protests. Each cycle of repression, characterized by excessive force, mass arrests, and impunity further entrenches a culture of fear and silences legitimate dissent. Such systemic abuse represents not only a failure to uphold democratic principles but also a deliberate attempt to delegitimize civic movements that demand accountability and justice. 

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A disturbing and recurring practice within this systemic violence is the pattern of enforced disappearances where demonstrators, especially students and young activists, are forcibly taken by state agents without acknowledgment of their whereabouts for hours or even days, often without concrete legal justification or due process. This tactic instills and mirrors the legacy of enforced disappearances from the 1998 authoritarian regime.

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The lack of Indonesia’s accession to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances (ICPPED) has created a legal vacuum, allowing such practices to persist with impunity. The state’s failure to ratify this international human rights standard eliminates critical safeguards to prevent recurrence, ensuring legal accountability, as well as protection from arbitrary state-led abductions.

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Simultaneously, there are alarming efforts to suppress press freedom, also a form of mirroring from the past authoritarian regime. During the recent protests, the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPID) on 28th August 2025 was documented to actively pressure media outlets to refrain from covering scenes of police brutality or other scenes from the protests as this state-led information blackout further impedes transparency. Thus, the state is combining forced disappearances with media censorship, replicating a dangerous 1998 pattern.

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Thus, we civil society urge the Indonesian Government the following:

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1. The National Police (Polri) is to immediately end the use of excessive force, ensure all crowd-control operations comply with Perkap No. 1 of 2009 and international human rights standards such as the UN Guidance of Less-Lethal Weapons and UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials, and impartially investigate officers responsible for abuses.

2. The National Police Commission (Kompolnas) is to exercise independent oversight by launching an urgent inquiry into police violence on 28th August 2025 and recommend disciplinary and criminal sanctions.

3. Police Institutions (Polri and Kompolnas) and Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) must cease all practices of enforced disappearances as well as short-term enforced disappearances and ensure prompt release and protection of all arbitrarily detained civilians. 

4. The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) to conduct a prompt, impartial, and transparent investigation into all cases of torture, arbitrary arrest, and extrajudicial killings related to recent protests, and provide protection for victims and witnesses. The Institution should also intensify monitoring to specific components in the incidents such as the excessive use of crowd-control weapons including tear gas, batons, and rubber bullets, to tactical vehicles particularly in the incident where a ride-hailing driver was run over by a Brimob tactical vehicle during the demonstration.

5. The Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) to ensure genuine legislative oversight by summoning the Chief of Police for public accountability hearings, demanding explanations for the unlawful repression, and guaranteeing that all future crowd-control operations strictly comply with national law and international standards. The DPR must also immediately expedite the deliberation and passage of laws safeguarding labor rights, social protection, and civic freedoms. As the very institution being protested by the people, the DPR cannot hide behind repression, it must face Indonesian civil society directly, listen to their grievances, and act responsibly to restore public trust. As the main actor being protested by civilians, the parliament should also directly face Indonesian civil society elements as the protest 

6. The Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) must immediately ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances (ICPPED) and adopt necessary domestic legislation to prevent recurring practices of enforced disappearances, ensure timely and impartial investigations, and to hold all perpetrators accountable

7. The President of Indonesia publicly condemned police violence, guaranteed the protection of the right to peaceful assembly, and ensured Indonesia’s full compliance with its international human rights obligations, including the requirement that any trials related to the police violence during demonstrations be conducted in a transparent and open manner. The police should conduct evaluation in handling demonstrations by prioritizing a non-violent approach.

 

Sunday, 31 August 2025

 

Organizations

1. The Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), Indonesia

2. Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), Indonesia

3. Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR)

4. Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)

5. Public Association “Dignity”, Kazakhstan

6. IMPARSIAL, the Indonesian Human Rights Monitor, Indonesia

7. The Peoples Participation, Initiative and Partnership Strengthening Foundation (YAPPIKA), Indonesia

8. Indonesia Justice and Peace Foundation (YKPI), Indonesia

9. Indonesia Judicial Research Society (IJRS), Indonesia

10. BarengWarga, Indonesia

11. Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law

12. the Civil Society Coalition against Transnational Organized Crime /CATOC

13. Manushya Foundation (Laos/Thailand)

14. Colors Rainbow (Myanmar)

15. Peoples of Longing, Timor Leste

16. 2030 Youth Force Indonesia (Yayasan 2030 Prapta Nusa), Indonesia

17. Asosiasaun Chega! Ba Ita (ACbit), Timor Leste

18. Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), Indonesia

19. LBH APIK Jakarta

20. Kuala Lumpur Debate

21. Indonesia Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI)

22. Asian Cultural Forum on Development (ACFOD)

23. KOMPAKS (Anti Sexual Violence Civil Society Coalition)

24. Support Group and Resource Center on Sexuality Studies (SGRC) Indonesia

25. Women’s March Jakarta 2025 Committee

26. International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID)

27. Yayasan Tifa (Tifa Foundation)

28. Activate Rights ( Bangladesh) 

29. WITNESS

30. kotakhitam Forum

31. PERIN+1S – C2O library & collaborative

32. PIKAT Demokrasi

33. Public Virtue Research Institute

34. Humanis

35. SINDIKASI (Serikat Pekerja Media & Industri Kreatif untuk Demokrasi) Jawa Timur

36. Suara Muda Kelas Pekerja Partai Buruh (SMKP)

37. Trend Asia (Indonesia)

38. Solidarity Collective TH (Thailand)

39. Progresip.id 

40. Emancipate Indonesia 

41. ILGA Asia

42. Perkumpulan Untuk Pemilu dan Demokrasi (Perludem), Indonesia

43. ASEAN SOGIE Caucus

44. Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI)

45. TAPOL (UK)

46. MilkTeaAlliance Calendar Team (Regional) 

47. Asia Floor Wage Alliance (AFWA) Indonesia 

48. Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), Malaysia

49. Partai Rakyat Pekerja (PRP), Indonesia

50. Lembaga Informasi Perburuhan Sedane (LIPS) Indonesia

51. Konfederasi Serikat Nasional (KSN), Indonesia

52. Konfederasi Pergerakan Rakyat Indonesia (KPRI), Indonesia

53. Transnational Palm Oil Labour Solidarity (TPOLS)

54. Human Rights Alert Manipur, India

55. Numun Fund

56. National Union of Workers in Hospital Support and Allied Services (NUWHSAS), Malaysia

57. Studio Batu

58. Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet)

59. Kelompok Jaya Bersama (KJB) Indonesia 

60. Lingkaran Advokasi dan Riset (Link-AR Borneo)

61. Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP)

62. Social Justice Indonesia

63. Legal Dignity, Malaysia

64. Open Net (Korea)

65. Ruang Independen Community, Indonesia

66. Spring Revolution Security (Myanmar)

67. ICT Watch, Indonesia

68. Kolektif Bengkel Kabel Bandung, Indonesia

69. End Female Genital Cutting Singapore 

70. Rohingya Maìyafuìnor Collaborative Network

71. Serikat Buruh Migran Indonesia/The Union of Indonesian Migrants Worker (SBMI)

72. Sigaw ng Kabataan Coalition (SKC) Philippines

73. Serve the People Association (SPA), Taiwan

74. Foundation for Media Alternatives (Philippines)

75. Human Rights Online Philippines (HRonlinePH)

76. Arus Pelangi (Indonesia)

77. ALTSEAN-Burma

78. Asia Feminist LBQ Network (AFLN)

79. Korean House for International Solidarity (South Korea)

80. International Peoples Assembly 

81. Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM), Philippines

82. Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA)

83. FIAN Indonesia

84. Watch Indonesia! e.V

85. Bumi Setara

86. 18+ Coalition (Koalisi 18+), Indonesia

87. Perempuan Mahardhika (Indonesia)

88. Serbuk Kalbar

89. Warisan Ingatan

90. New Bloom (Taiwan)

91. Cita Tanah Mahardika, Indonesia 

92. Proklamasi Anak Indonesia

93. Advocacy Forum (Nepal)

94. Suriya Women’s Development Centre (Sri Lanka)

95. Asia Democracy Network (ADN) 

96. Indorelawan, Indonesia

97. Kait Nusantara, Indonesia

98. Beyond Borders Malaysia

99. Movement for Alternatives and Solidarity in Southeast Asia

100. KontraS Aceh

101. Greater Equitable Measures (GEM)

102. Strength For Queer – Myanmar 

103. A New Burma

104. Action Committee for Democracy Development (ACDD)

105. Association of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters (HRDP)

106. Athan – Freedom of Expression Activist Organization

107. Blood Money Campaign

108. Creative Home

109. Equality Myanmar (EQMM)

110. Generation Wave

111. Generations’ Solidarity Coalition of Nationalities- GSCN

112. Justice & Equality Focus

113. Kyae Lak Myae

114. Network for Human Rights Documentation – Burma (ND-Burma)

115. Nyan Lynn Thit Analytical

116. New Step Women Empowerment Group/Network

117. Progressive Muslim Youth Association (PMYA)

118. Progressive Voice (PV)

119. Queers of Burma Alternative

120. Sitt Nyein Pann Foundation

121. Southern Initiatives

122. Women Advocacy Coalition – Myanmar (WAC-M)

123. Women’s League of Burma (WLB)

124. Yangon Medical Network

125. Volunteers in Myanmar

126. MyaYar Knowledge Tree

127. Kyauktada Strike Committee (KSC)

128. Defend Myanmar Democracy 

129. ယိမ်းနွဲ့ပါး – Yain Nweh Par (Rainbow Win The Storm – RIS)

130. ASR-ASSOCIATION of SPRING RAINBOW

131. Yangon Deaf Group

132. Muslim Youth Network

133. Sisters2Sisters

134. In Defense of Human Rights and Dignity Movement (iDEFEND) – Philippines

135. ProyekDekolonial

136. Vuka! Coalition for Civic Action 

137. Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) – Philippines 

138. Saribuhay UP Diliman (Philippines)

139. Defence of Human Rights, Pakistan

140. Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN), Maldives

141. NGO: Environment and humanitarian actions for well-being

142. Salam for Democracy and Human Rights (SALAM DHR)

143. Association for Democracy in the Maldives (ADM), Maldives

144. Solidaritas Aktivis Aliansi Jurnalis Independen (AJI) Diaspora

145. Asia Citizen Future Association (ACFA)

146. Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR)

147. SILAKA-CAMBODIA 

148. Southeast Asian Human Rights and Peace Studies Network (SEAHRN)

149. Yayasan Keadilan Untuk Rakyat Marginal (Kurama Foundation)

150. Kapatiran sa Dalawang Gulong (KAGULONG), Philippines

151. Himpunan Advokasi Rakyat Malaysia (HARAM), Malaysia

152. Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH), Malaysia

153. Cross-Cultural Foundation (CrCF) Thailand

154. Jeunesse Innovante et Restauration du Bien-être (JERESTAURE BIEN ETRE)

155. North South Initiative, Malaysia

156. KontraS Tanah Papua

157. True Colors Coalition (Philippines)

158. Philippine Misereor Partnership Inc. (PMPI)

159. The Biodiversity Project, Sri Lanka 

160. Mayday Multimedia, Philippines

161. Philippine Labor Movement Archive (PLMA)

162. Pusat KOMAS, Malaysia

163. MY World Mexico: Hub of Action for Sustainable Development, Mexico

164. Asia Monitor Resource Centre

165. Youth and young Journalist  peace and Democracy cultural  

166. Center Timor-Leste 

167. Milk Tea Alliance Thailand

168. Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND), Philippines

169. Asia Democracy Network (ADN)

170. Indonesia untuk Kemanusiaan (IKa)

171. Bytes for All (B4A), Pakistan

172. Weaving Women’s Voices in Southeast Asia (WEAVE)

173. Beyond the Hijab, Singapore

174. ALIANSI GERAKAN REFORMA AGRARIA (AGRA), Indonesia

175. Odhikar, Bangladesh

176. Southeast Asia Public Lawyers Interest (SEAPIL), Southeast Asia Region

177. Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), Philippines 

178. Agham Youth UP Diliman (Philippines)

179. Global Citizen Society, Maldives

180. Kemban Kolektif, Malaysia

181. Women’s March, Malaysia

182. Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Center), Malaysia

183. Initiative for International Dialogue (IID), Philippines

184. Kalyanamitra, Indonesia

185. BeWithYou Indonesia

186. Bright Future, Thailand

187. Fat Liberation London, UK

188. Vajpayee Research Foundation, India

189. Serikat Pekerja Angkutan Indonesia (SPAI)

190. Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Ireland

191. CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation

192. Labor Kommunity

193. Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS), Argentina

194. Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR)

195. EngageMedia Collective

196. Youth Initiative (YI), Nepal

197. Nepal Development Initiative (NEDI), Nepal

198. Defence of Human Rights Pakistan

199. Capital Punishment Justice Project, Australia 

200. Psychological Responsiveness NGO, Mongolia

201. People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD), South Korea

202. Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan (SPARK), Philippines

203. Sekolah Pemikiran Perempuan (SPP/ The School of Women’s Thought)

204. Ch.nrw.flinta 

205. N.C.F.H.Collective (SEA) 

206. QueerPunch (SEA)

207. Can Yalcinkaya, Australia

208. Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)

209. Kenya Human Rights Commission, Kenya

210. Legal Resources Center, South Africa

211. Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network

 

Individual

1. Taufiq Hanafi, Indonesia

2. Safina Maulida, Indonesia 

3. Shoeb Abdullah

4. Ganies Oktaviana, Indonesia

5. Achmad Assifa

6. Cyprianus Lilik Kridmantoro Putro

7. Mathurin K

8. Xun-ling Au

9. James

10. Choo Chon Kai

11. Vox

12. RESI- TIMOR LESTE

13. Saza Faradilla

14. Reihana Mohideen 

15. Bima Arthayuda, Indonesia

16. Raffy Oktavian, Indonesia

17. Ni Putu Candra Dewi, Indonesia

18. Syahar Banu, Indonesia 

19. Federico Fuentes, editor LINKS International Journal of Socialist Renewal, Australia. 

20. Nurashikin Binte A Rahim, Singapore

21. Gloria Truly Estrelita, Indonesia

22. Mamik Sri Supatmi, Indonesia

23. Syahmi Zulfadhli Abdullah, Brunei

24. Bikash Basnet, Nepal

25. Eko Waluyo, Indonesian solidarity

26. Atmaezer Hariara Simanjuntak

27. Cho

28. Megan Steven, Malaysia

29. Bernard Vijayabalan, Singapore 

30. Ja Fuentes, Philippines

31. Lea Pamungkas, Amsterdam

32. Adhiraaj AnandNATWA HINDINA Pierre 

33. Reichele Corona, Philippines

34. Rahmat Muhamad, Medan, Sumatera Utara

35. Madalena Timor Leste 

36. Thomas Rieger, Jerman

37. Charles Zander Deluna, Philippines

38. Betty Yolanda, Indonesia

39. Ellirie Aviles, Philippines

40. Peter Boyle, Australia

41. Etienne ZOUNDE 

42. Jhay de Jesus, Philippines 

43. Dulanjaya Mahagamage, Sri Lanka

44. Kasumi Ranasinghe Arachchige, Sri Lanka

45. Wildan Siregar, Indonesia

46. OTOLORIN Adandé Barthélémy 

47. Cristiana Ximenes Belo, Timor-Leste 

48. Prints para sa Bayan /for the People

49. Celia L. Sevilla, Philippines

50. Attitaya, Thailand

51. Fiza Awan, Thailand

52. Maya Kornelia Musa, Indonesia

53. Kanhaiya Kumar, India

54. Myriam Selhi, Canada

55. Lulu Keng, Taiwan

56. Erin McConnell, USA

57. Lisabona Rahman, Germany

58. Alejandra Rojas Giraldo, Colombia

59. Christine Holike, Germany

60. Semjidmaa Choijil, Mongolia

61. Ganga Bahadur Gautam, Nepal

62. Di Wu, Belgium