Indonesian Human Rights Ministry to Appeal Court Ruling on Employee Reassignment

Indonesia's Deputy Minister of Human Rights, Mugiyanto Sipin, has confirmed the ministry's intention to appeal a State Administrative Court (PTUN) ruling concerning an employee's reassignment. The court had previously granted the grievance filed by Ernie Nurheyanti M. Toelle, a staff member at the Ministry of Human Rights.

The PTUN Jakarta ruled on July 2, 2026, in case number 59/G/2026/PTUN.JKT, accepting Ernie Nurheyanti M. Toelle's lawsuit against Minister Natalius Pigai in its entirety. The court's decision, read by presiding judge Mohammad Herry Indrawan P. and members Febrina Permadi and Haristov Aszadha, also nullified Ministerial Decree Number MHA-14/KP.04.04 dated January 23, 2026. This decree had facilitated Ernie Nurheyanti Miceleni Toelle's transfer from a managerial role to a functional position within the ministry.

The court ordered Minister Natalius Pigai to revoke the decision and to restore Ernie Nurheyanti M. Toelle's dignity, reputation, and position. Specifically, she was to be reinstated as the Secretary of the Directorate General of Human Rights Services and Compliance, a high-ranking official position (eselon II.a) and Budget User, or an equivalent role.

Ernie's legal counsel, Deby Astuti Fangidae, stated that the lawsuit stemmed from the January 23, 2026, decree, which reclassified her client from a managerial position as Secretary of the Directorate General of Human Rights Services and Compliance to a functional role as a Senior Expert Human Rights Analyst. Deby argued that the decree violated administrative procedures and was issued without transparency or objective decision-making.

Deby cited two primary reasons why the decision allegedly contravened legal provisions. Firstly, the Minister of Human Rights claimed Ernie failed to effectively absorb the budget. However, Deby countered that the budget absorption under Ernie's leadership in the Secretariat of the Directorate General of Human Rights Services and Compliance reached 99.56 percent, with the overall directorate achieving 92.88 percent. Furthermore, Ernie had received a "good" rating in her performance evaluation. Deby emphasized that this decision failed to consider Ernie's 31 years of service at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights and one year elsewhere.