Human Rights Watch Recommendations for EU-Indonesia Dialogue

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Since 2011 Indonesian authorities have failed to adequately address increasing incidents of mob violence directed by militant Islamist groups against religious minorities in Java and Sumatra, including the Ahmadiyah, Christians, and Shia Muslims.

Photo credit  AFP / Sydney Morning Herald

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Human Rights Watch
By Press Release | May 7, 2012

Indonesia has made great strides in recent years in consolidating a stable, democratic government with a strong civil society and independent media, but serious human rights concerns remain. While senior officials often speak of protecting human rights, they seem unwilling to take the steps necessary to ensure compliance by the security forces with international human rights standards, and to appropriately prosecute those responsible for serious abuses.

The government continues to use laws on treason, “sowing hatred,” blasphemy, and criminal defamation to restrict the right to free expression. Police have arbitrarily arrested and harassed journalists and critics of the government. Peaceful pro-independence activists from Papua and the Moluccas have been prosecuted and sentenced to long prison terms.

Since 2011 Indonesian authorities have failed to adequately address increasing incidents of mob violence directed by militant Islamist groups against religious minorities in Java and Sumatra, including the Ahmadiyah, Christians, and Shia Muslims. Pressure from militants, emboldened by government decrees restricting the constructions of houses of worship, have led local authorities to close hundreds of Christian churches and dozens of Ahmadiyah mosques in recent years.

Human Rights Watch recommends that the EU should focus on the cases of political prisoners and growing violence against religious minorities in its upcoming human rights dialogue with the Indonesian government. more...


Read original post here: EU-Indonesia Human Rights Dialogue: Human Rights Watch Recommendations


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