The Indonesian Government attends the United Nations’ Human Rights Commission session for the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) led by the head of ICCPR at Wilson Palais, Geneva on 11-12 March 2024. The session asks the Indonesian Government to answer and to clarify on question about the convention implementation in Indonesia, posed by many ICCPR members.

The Spanish Representative, Carlos Gómez Martínez asks about transparency and accountability regarding Munir Murder Case pursued by the Fact-Finding Team. The Indonesian delegation only indicates that it will coordinate with the National Human Rights Commission and the Supreme Court, without providing any comprehensive response. This shows the lack of seriousness in addressing the issue and in explaining the progress of the investigation on Munir Murder case, and even reveals a sense of betrayal to the commitment to ensure and protect human rights activists.

In 2024, it has been 20 years since Munir Said Thalib was murdered, and the State has not been able to punish the intellectual perpetrator(s) through competent and just court mechanism. Munir’s Murder is not an ordinary murder case, but a crime against humanity systematically perpetrated by State actors and institutions such as the National Intelligence Office (BIN) and Garuda Indonesia Parastatal Company. This effort requires the State’s political will and human rights-based legal procedure. The recent update shows that the case in in the hands of the National Human Rights Commission who deals with the case through Pro-Justitia Investigation for serious human rights violation, based on Law No. 26 Year 2000 on Human Rights Court.

The Pro-Justitia investigation by the National Human Rights Commission provides an opportunity to expose the systematic nature of Munir Said Thalib Murder case wide-open, which we expect would reveal the intellectual actors responsible for the murder. The process will be an opportunity to reveal criminal act done systematically and structurally which is a prerequisite for gross human rights violation. Addressing the case would present a good precedent that the Indonesian State does not tolerate all forms of violence against human rights defenders and provide future protection guarantee for human rights activists who are doing their job to control the State so that the latter performs its duties to advance, fulfil, protect, respect and enforce human rights.
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The lack of seriousness within the State in taking perpetrators of Munir Murder Case to court is a dangerous precedent for future human rights protection. The lack of concrete and serious actions will only push family of the victim further away from truth and justice.

On the basis of the above, the Committee on the Action for Solidarity with Munir urges:

First, the National Human Rights Commission focuses and maximizes the pro-justitia investigation on Munir Murder Case. Slow walking or even postponing the investigation wwill only lead to uncertainty for family of the victim to get their right for justice and truth. We also encourage the National Human Rights Commission to guarantee a quality of investigation and to pay attention carefully to formal and material aspects of the investigation, based on Law No. 26 Year 2000 on Human Rights Court.

Second, President Joko Widodo must ensure commitment to complete the handling of Munir Murder Case during his tenure. This will show that the President is able to demand accountability for human rights handling which has received international attention in a number of forum, including the latest review of the ICCPR convention in Geneva on 11-12 March 2024;

Third, President Joko Widodo orders the State Secretary Office to make available the Fact-Finding Team’s Report on Munir Murder Case to the public as articulated in Point Nine of the Presidential Decision 111/2004 on the establishment of Fact-Finding Team for Munir Murder Case as a form of accountability and transparency.

Jakarta, 23 March 2024
Commission on Action for Solidarity with Munir

Contact People:
Suciwati;
Bivitri Susanti;
Muhammad Isnur;
Gufron Mabruri
Dimas Bagus Arya Saputra