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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Culture & Society

Amien Rais Accused of Human Rights Violations Over Video on Prabowo, Teddy

From Tempo · (10m ago) Indonesian Critical tone

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Indonesia's Human Rights Minister, Natalius Pigai, accused Amien Rais of human rights violations over a video alleging improper relations between President Prabowo Subianto and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.
  • Pigai cited inhuman treatment and degrading remarks as potential violations, urging Rais not to use freedom of speech as a shield.
  • Communications Minister Meutya Hafid denounced the video as hoax, defamation, and hate speech with no factual basis, vowing legal action.

The Indonesian government has strongly condemned a video released by Amien Rais, a prominent political figure, which makes serious allegations about the relationship between President Prabowo Subianto and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya. Minister of Human Rights Natalius Pigai has directly accused Rais of violating human rights, specifically citing inhuman treatment and degrading remarks that could cause severe mental distress and damage the dignity of the individuals involved. Pigai’s stance underscores the government's zero-tolerance policy towards statements that are perceived as defamatory and harmful to national stability.

Mr. Amien is suspected of violating human rights.

— Natalius PigaiIndonesia's Minister of Human Rights, Natalius Pigai, stated his suspicion that Amien Rais committed human rights violations.

Minister of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) Meutya Hafid echoed these sentiments, labeling the video's content as hoaxes, defamation, and hate speech. Hafid emphasized that the narrative lacks any factual basis and is an attempt to degrade national leaders and provoke unrest, potentially dividing the nation. The Ministry of Communication and Digital has vowed to take legal action against Rais, citing violations of the Information and Electronic Transactions (ITE) Law. This firm response reflects the government's commitment to maintaining order and preventing the spread of misinformation, particularly when it targets high-ranking officials.

Because there are limits to it.

— Natalius PigaiMinister Pigai urged Amien Rais not to hide behind the dogma of freedom of speech, reminding him that such freedoms have limits.

Amien Rais, however, has defended his statements as an exercise of freedom of speech, guaranteed by the Indonesian Constitution. He claims to have reasons for alleging that the relationship between Prabowo and Teddy has exceeded professional boundaries. The controversy highlights the ongoing tension in Indonesia between the right to free expression and the need to prevent defamation and hate speech, especially in the lead-up to sensitive political periods. The swift removal of the video from Rais's YouTube account and the government's decisive response signal a clear message about the boundaries of public discourse in Indonesia.

I am sure democracy will run smoothly if the freedom to express opinions guaranteed by our Constitution is not restricted or silenced.

— Amien RaisAmien Rais defended his statements as part of freedom of speech, emphasizing its importance for a functioning democracy.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Tempo. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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