Indonesia: Environmentalists, Indigenous Leaders Unjustly Prosecuted
A Human Rights Watch report alleges that the Indonesian government is using the legal system to silence environmentalists and Indigenous leaders. The report claims authorities are prioritizing industrial projects like mining and plantations over the rights of local communities.
Why it matters
The report highlights the ongoing tension between rapid economic development and the protection of human rights and environmental sustainability in Southeast Asia.
Activists Targeted for Protesting Land Grabs, Deforestation, Pollution
(Jakarta) – Indonesian authorities are pursuing wrongful prosecutions of environmentalists and Indigenous community leaders who protest deforestation and pollution, or defend land rights, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Since taking office in 2024, the administration of President Prabowo Subianto has intensified the crackdown on free expression by expanding the military’s role in state-owned mining, oil palm plantations, infrastructure projects, and so-called food and energy estates.
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