Politics · Indonesia · 5 hrs ago
Indonesia Forms Group to Address Past Human Rights Cases
Indonesia is forming a cross-agency group to address past human rights cases after a directive from President Prabowo Subianto.
The group will bring together government agencies, the National Commission on Human Rights, judges and academics, and deputy minister Otto Hasibuan will lead it.
Disagreements over what counts as a gross violation have helped stall cases, including disputes between the Attorney General's Office and the commission over its findings.
Of 17 alleged cases, only four have gone to trial.
The unresolved cases include the 1965–1966 mass killings, the May 1998 riots and enforced disappearances in 1997–1998.
The group is aiming to fix procedural obstacles, not change the law.
One option is for prosecutors to oversee the commission's investigations, and the group will identify recurring problems and seek technical solutions.
Indonesia is establishing a cross-agency working group to address procedural issues in cases of alleged past gross human rights violations.
The group follows a directive from President Prabowo Subianto and will be led by Deputy Minister Otto Hasibuan.
It will seek technical solutions to help institutions handle cases more effectively, without changing the existing legal framework.
Only four of 17 alleged past gross human rights violation cases have gone to trial.
Several cases remain pending, including the 1965–1966 mass killings and the 1997–1998 enforced disappearances.
- Who
- The Indonesian government is forming the group, involving government agencies, Komnas HAM, judges and academics. Otto Hasibuan will lead it.
- What
- A cross-agency working group will address procedural issues in alleged past gross human rights violation cases.
- When
- The group was being formed on November 9, 2026.
- Where
- Jakarta.
- Why
- Disagreements over what qualifies as a gross human rights violation and limited resources have stalled the handling of cases.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
President Prabowo Subianto directed the formation of the working group.
Yusril Ihza Mahendra said at a press conference in Jakarta that the group should be formed immediately after the meeting.
- Cases reviewed
- 17 alleged past gross human rights violation cases
- Cases tried
- 4
- Working group leader
- Otto Hasibuan
- Pending cases
- 1965–1966 mass killings; Petrus shootings; Talangsari; Trisakti; Jambo Keupok; Semanggi I and II; May 1998 riots; 1997–1998 enforced disappearances
What people are saying
We want the working group to be formed immediately, after this meeting,
So when they complete their findings, prosecutors can proceed with the investigation,