Komnas HAM: Perpu on Mass Organizations Threatens Minorities
26 July 2017 08:08 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) said that the government regulation in lieu of law (Perpu) No. 2/2017 on Mass Organizations threatens minorities and defenders of minority rights. Komnas HAM chairman Nur Kholis is concerned that non-governmental organizations that are critical against the government may be considered radical. "They can be deemed anti-Pancasila," he said yesterday.
Nur Kholis also highlights the inclusion of blasphemy offense in the government regulation. He said that religious communities such as the Jehovah’s Witness, Shiites and Ahmadiyah will be seriously threatened.
Read: PBNU Gives Full Support for Perpu on Mass Organizations
Komnas HAM have also criticized the government over the disbanding of mass organization without going to court. Nur Kholis said that the action is a form of violation against freedom of association.
The Justice and Human Rights Ministry on Wednesday disbanded revoked Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) legal status based on Perpu No. 2/2017 on Mass Organization. The government said that the HTI was an anti-Pancasila organization. The regulation holds that any mass organization contravening the national ideology can be disbanded without going to court.
Nur Kholis said that the government actually had the time to take HTI to court before disbanding the organization. "In court, people reserves the right to defend themselves or to explain who they really are," he said, related to the Perpu.
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