The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership between the International Federation for Human Rights and the World Organisation Against Torture, has reported on the ongoing judicial harassment leveled against Fatia Maulidiyanti, current Coordinator of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), Haris Azhar, Executive Director of Lokataru, FIDH’s Vice President, and OMCT General Assembly member in Indonesia. A criminal defamation trial against the two human rights defenders is scheduled for April 3, 2023, before the East Jakarta District Court. If convicted, they could be imprisoned for up to four years. The case against them was opened in August 2021 due to a police report filed by Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, the Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, alleging Fatia Maulidiyanti and Haris Azhar violated criminal defamation provisions.
The subpoena was sent to Haris Azhar and Fatia Maulidiyanti’s lawyers in relation to a talk show video posted on Haris Azhar’s YouTube channel on August 20, 2021, discussing the findings of research by KontraS and several environmental and human rights organisations about the business activities of Indonesian army officials, both active and retired, in the gold mining sector and their alleged plans to exploit the Blok Wabu area in Sugapa District, Intan Jaya Regency, Papua Province. In the video, it was claimed that Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan owned shares of PT Toba Sejahtera Group (TS), a company that controls PT Tobacom Del Mandiri (TDM), one of the mining companies involved in the mining operations in the Blok Wabu area. Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan threatened to take further legal action should Haris Azhar and Fatia Maulidiyanti fail to comply with his demands.
The Observatory has condemned the judicial harassment of Haris Azhar and Fatia Maulidiyanti, which may be aimed at punishing them for their legitimate human rights activities and for exercising their right to freedom of opinion and expression. The Observatory calls on Indonesian authorities to cease all acts of harassment and to drop all charges against Haris Azhar, Fatia Maulidiyanti, and all other human rights defenders so they can carry out their legitimate human rights activities without hindrance or fear of reprisal.
The Observatory has requested that the authorities of Indonesia guarantee the physical integrity and psychological well-being of Haris Azhar, Fatia Maulidiyanti, and all other human rights defenders, cease all acts of harassment, and provide due process and fair trial during all proceedings against them. The Observatory has also called for the guarantee of the right to freedom of expression, both offline and online, in the country in accordance with relevant international and regional human rights standards.
