TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) chairperson Muhammad Isnur stated that activists joining the meeting in Sanur which was besieged by dozens of pecalang (Bali's traditional security officers) are now safe.

“They are safe for now. A number of officials from Komnas HAM (National Commission on Human Rights) and KSP (Presidential Office) have also contacted us,” Isnur told Tempo on Monday, November 14, 2022.

He elaborated that some of the activists who are administrators of legal aid institutions throughout Indonesia had been evacuated or had been returned to their respective regions.

“I have also been evacuated to Jakarta, and other activists who are still in Bali will be returned to Jakarta or their respective regions today,” he added.

As previously reported, activists gathering in a villa in Bali for a coordination meeting were surrounded by a group of people donning traditional Balinese security clothes. They intimidated the activists and the meeting’s attendees.

“Police officers and community groups claiming to be village officials and pecalang have violated the law and human rights,” Isnur remarked, arguing that those people had deprived YLBHI activists’ freedom to act.

“It is strongly suspected that it is a criminal act of depriving people of their freedom against the law with a maximum threat of 8 (eight) years in prison. Their actions violate Article 333 (1) of the Criminal Code,” Isnur said.

He emphasized that their intimidation, stopping YLBHI’s activities without a search warrant, and even exercising acts of terror, violated Article 28 E (3) of the 1945 Constitution.

Isnur further opined that the acts of thuggery committed by those people are anti-democratic acts and systematic crimes. It was also counterproductive to the government's statement that Bali is safe during the G20 summit.

DINDA NATAYA BEGJANI

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News