HRC36 Oral Statement on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Indonesia
22 September 2017 4:50 pm

36th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council

Item 6: Universal Periodic Review of Indonesia

Oral Statement Delivered by Yuyun Wahyuningrum on behalf of

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

Thursday, 21 September 2017

Mr President,

Human Rights Working Group (HRWG), on behalf of the Indonesia Civil Society Organisations Coalition for the UPR, and FORUM-ASIA, notes Indonesia’s UPR adoption.

We express our appreciation to the Indonesian government for engaging civil society in the process and reiterate our call to accept all recommendations in order to guarantee the protection of universal freedoms as reflected in President Joko Widodo’s Nawacita.

In line with Indonesia’s position on the UN GA Resolution on the moratorium of the death penalty in 2016, we call on Indonesia to immediately stop executions and respect the right to life.

We urge the Indonesian Government to extend an invitation to the Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples to clarify the definition and concept of indigenous peoples and Masyarakat Adat, which have hindered the promotion and protection of the rights of indigenous peoples in Indonesia.

We demand that the Indonesian Government address impunity in Papua by activating the Permanent Human Rights Court related to crimes against humanity cases in Wasior-Wamena in 2002.

We urge the Indonesian Government to uphold freedoms of expression, assembly, and religion or belief, and to prevent discrimination based on all grounds, including sexual orientation and gender identity as mandated by the 1945 Constitution. We call on Indonesia to introduce a non-criminal approach to blasphemy cases in the current drafting process of the Protection of Religious Community Bill.

Last Sunday, hundreds of people and police officers besieged the Foundation of Legal Aid Institute in Jakarta demanding it to end a gathering in the office by physically attacking the symbol of the democracy and human rights movement in Indonesia. The Government must investigate the perpetrators behind the riots and immediately put an end to hate speech.

FORUM-ASIA calls upon Indonesian Government to publicly set out a comprehensive, measurable and time-bound action plan for the implementation of UPR recommendations, in cooperation and consultation with civil society.

I thank you, Mr. President.

For a PDF version of this statement, click here.