100 Working Days, Minister Of Human Rights Boasts No People Are Imprisoned For Insulting State Officials

The working meeting of Commission XIII of the DPR RI with the Minister of Human Rights Natalius Pigai at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Wednesday (5/2/2025). (ANTARA)

"Now in the third month, more than 100 days, I haven't seen state officials curbing civil liberties, I haven't seen them. I haven't seen state officials imprisoning their people yet," Pigai said in a meeting with Commission XIII of the House of Representatives, Wednesday, February 5.

"The traffic of freedom of expression remains always and runs. The dynamics of democracy takes place in a safe and peaceful manner. Whether it is in a sense, be it opinions, thoughts, public feelings, opinions, thoughts, opinions of actors, opposition, political parties, civil society, activists, as well as agencies that have full authority, we give full freedom to express opinions, thoughts, and feelings," he continued.

Pigai said the freedom was not limited by the Human Rights Law. Freedom, he said, can only be overcome by law.

"In the past 100 days, no one has been imprisoned, detained, prosecuted for insulting state officials. And no state official has yet imprisoned his people. Those are signs of freedom for the next 5 years," said Pigai.

Not only freedom of expression, according to Pigai, democracy has also improved. This can be seen from the absence of state intervention in the election of party leaders to regional head elections.

"Kita lihat pemerintah atau negara, tidak sama sekali, pemerintah tidak masuk dalam urusan demokrasi yang terjadi kemarin. Apakah itu pemilihan pimpinan partai, pemilihan organisasi masyarakat, maupun juga pemilihan kepala daerah, semua diberi kebebasan," kata Pigai.

"Banyak juga oposisi menang di mana-mana, yang oposisi juga menang di mana-mana. Gerindra malah kalah. Kalah banyak. Artinya apa? Ini demokrasi di bangsa ini sudah lebih terbuka dan bebas semua anak bangsa bertarung," lanjutnya.

He considered that freedom of opinion and democracy is an achievement. "Therefore, the amnesty is in line with granting amnesty related to the case of the ITE Law," said Pigai.