1,131 Criminalized Activists, Civil Society Urges Police To Issue Environmental Fighter Protection Perkap

Indonesian Center for Environmental Law (ICEL) Audience, Walhi, Greenpeace Indonesia, and Alliance of Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago (Diah Ayu/VOI)

Environmental activists from various civil society organizations have asked the Commission for the Acceleration of Police Reform to accelerate the preparation of the National Police Chief Regulation (Perkap) regarding the protection of environmental fighters or Anti-SLAPP rules.

The request was submitted in an audience conducted by the Indonesian Center for Environmental Law (ICEL), Walhi, Greenpeace Indonesia, and the Alliance of Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago to the Commission for the Acceleration of Police Reform, Wednesday, November 26.

ICEL Executive Director Raynaldo G. Sembiring said this rule was urgent to be issued in order to stop criminalization of environmental defenders that often occur in the field.

"Specifically, ICEL and Walhi asked the National Police to immediately form a Police Perkap regarding protection for environmental fighters or Anti-SLAPP," said Raynaldo at the Ministry of State Secretariat Office, Central Jakarta.

He considered that Perkap was very necessary to prevent the form of criminalization and violence targeting activists and other human rights defenders.

"Hopefully, if there is a Police Perkap, we can suppress as much as possible the form of violence and criminalization against environmental fighters," he said.

Raynaldo added that the legal basis for protecting environmental fighters was strong, either through the Environmental Law or the Constitutional Court's decision. On this basis, he said, the Police had no reason to postpone the drafting of regulations.

"The Environmental Law has mandated, then there is also a decision from the Constitutional Court. So what are you waiting for? We hope that the Police can do that," he explained.

During the hearing, Raynaldo also reminded that the preparation of the Anti-SLAPP Cap was actually the National Police Chief's commitment through the recommendation of the Legal Reform Team formed by former Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD.

"In the past, when Prof Mahfud formed the Legal Reform Team, the results had been submitted to the President and the National Police Chief, and the National Police Chief also agreed to arrange it in 2024," he said.

Civil society organizations have also submitted data related to violence and criminalization against environmental activists. Throughout 2014 '2024, there were around 1,131 activists who experienced intimidation, violence, and legal processes related to environmental advocacy. Of that number, 549 people were tried and punished.

Raynaldo hopes that the discussion of the substance carried out today will continue in the process of drafting regulations. He emphasized that changing the character of the National Police institution to be more humane is an important part of the police reform agenda.

"So far, people in the field must be worried when dealing with the Police, who do not turn a blind eye to many who are actually tools or backing for corporations that are suspected of damaging the environment," said Raynaldo.