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Protests for Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights: International Solidarity with Indonesia

Protests for Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights: International Solidarity with Indonesia

The recent protests in Indonesia are about the defense of core economic, social, and cultural rights. Workers and students took to the streets to demand fair labor conditions, access to social protection, and accountability in democratic governance. These rights are essential pillars of human dignity and justice, and their denial undermines the very foundations of Indonesia’s constitutional and international commitments.

We have joined dozens of civil society groups worldwide in signing a statement condemning the violent crackdown on protests in Indonesia at the end of August.

Tens of thousands of workers demonstrated from 28 to 29 August across provinces, including Jakarta, Manokwari, Semarang, and Medan. 

Protesters demanded an 8.5–10% minimum wage increase for 2026, an end to mass layoffs and outsourcing, tax reform, and new labor protections. They also called for the passage of the Asset Confiscation Bill and revisions to the Election Law.

According to rights group KontraS, the protests were met with excessive force by security forces, resulting in at least 113 injuries, 734 arrests, and three deaths. One fatality was 27-year-old Affan Kurniawan, a ride-hailing driver who was killed after being run over by a tactical police vehicle.

The violence followed earlier demonstrations on 25 August, when students and civilians gathered outside Jakarta's House of Representatives (DPR) to protest lawmakers' increased allowances, including a housing stipend ten times the minimum wage. That protest ended with 12 injuries, 351 arrests (nearly 200 of them minors), and the use of expired tear gas affecting residential areas.

Civil society groups say the incidents highlight a systemic pattern of repression, citing arbitrary arrests, torture, enforced disappearances, and censorship of media coverage. The joint statement argues these practices violate Indonesia's obligations under international treaties such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention against Torture, as well as the country's police regulations requiring legality, proportionality, and accountability in law enforcement.

We urge the Indonesian government to halt the use of excessive force, investigate officers responsible for abuses, and ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances. We also call on parliament to ensure oversight of the police and expedite laws that safeguard labor rights and civic freedoms.

By signing the statement, we express solidarity with Indonesian workers, students, and civil society organisations and reaffirm the importance of protecting fundamental freedoms and labor rights.

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