September 2, 2025 | 08:36 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Minister of Human Rights Natalius Pigai has announced the formation of a special team to monitor and ensure the protection of human rights for victims of violence during the series of mass protests that began last week.
"To ensure the protection of human rights, especially the handling and fulfillment of the rights of the victims," Pigai stated in a written statement on Monday, September 1, 2025.
Pigai emphasized that the team’s work will focus on fulfilling the rights of those who have been killed, injured, arrested, or detained. Specifically for those in custody, he noted that he will coordinate directly with law enforcement to ensure their treatment adheres to fundamental human rights principles and standards.
Pigai also urged authorities to avoid the use of excessive force when managing the protests, stressing that all actions must be in line with established human rights guidelines.
"Adhere to human rights principles and standards by avoiding the use of excessive force," Pigai affirmed.
The protests, which commenced on August 25, have tragically resulted in the deaths of ten people as of September 2, 2025. Initially, the demonstrations in Jakarta criticized the significant allowances for members of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR).
However, the death of Affan Kurniawan, an online motorcycle taxi driver, on August 28, who was run over by a Police Mobile Brigade Corps (Brimob) vehicle, ignited widespread public sympathy and sparked protests in other regions, with some instances devolving into riots.
The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has reported a total of 1,683 arrests by Jakarta police during the demonstrations from August 25 to 31, 2025. This figure, recorded by Komnas HAM, differs from the Jakarta Metropolitan Police’s count of 1,240 arrests.
Komnas HAM arrived at its figure after a direct observation at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police Headquarters in South Jakarta, conducted together with the Deputy Director of General Crime Investigation.
"In this meeting, it was obtained that the Jakarta Metropolitan Police had arrested and detained 1,683 participants of the mass action on August 25, 28, 30, and 31, 2025," said Komnas HAM Chairperson Anis Hidayah in a written statement on Monday, September 1, 2025.
Nabiila Azzahra, Vedro Immanuel, and Intan Setiawanty contributed to this report.
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