Indonesia’s social and political situation in the aftermath of waves of demonstrations has drawn international attention. The protests in recent weeks sparked controversy over violence on the ground, resulting in casualties. These demonstrations have been linked to alleged human rights violations. The United Nations (UN) has even urged all parties to exercise restraint to prevent further outbreaks of violence.
Professor of International Relations at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (Fisipol UGM), Dafri Agussalim, emphasized that cases of human rights violations require thorough investigation.
Determining whether an act constitutes a human rights violation, he explained, must be based on an in-depth inquiry.
However, he noted that excessive use of force by security forces against civilians can indeed be categorized as a human rights violation.
“In every convention, there are minimum operational standards, including for the police,” Professor Agussalim stated on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025, at the UGM campus.
According to him, government security forces must demonstrate greater sensitivity to human rights issues when handling demonstrations.
This is because societal life is interconnected with the global community, making it easier for such issues to capture worldwide attention.
“Government authorities should be more sensitive to such issues because we no longer live in isolation,” he explained.
Referring to the death of an online motorcycle taxi driver during a protest after being struck by a Mobile Brigade Corps (Brimob) armored vehicle, Professor Agussalim noted that although the incident was claimed to be an accident, it could be considered a case of guilty by action by state security forces, given that they are part of the state apparatus responsible for safeguarding citizens’ human rights.
He stressed the importance of increased attention from security forces to potential human rights violations, emphasizing that such issues will continue to be scrutinized by the international community.
Author: Jelita Agustine
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Lintang Andwyna
Photographer: Donnie Trisfian