Government Guarantees that the Human Rights Bill Will Protect Human Rights Activists from Legal Action

BANDUNG, KOMPAS.com - The government guarantees that the Draft Law on Human Rights (RUU HAM) will recognise and protect human rights activists from criminalisation. ‘Within the act, this bill, we recognise the existence of Human Rights Defenders. So with the recognition of HR Defenders, it will no longer be ambiguous,’ said Novita Ilmaris, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (KemenHAM), at the Human Rights Journalists Class in Bandung, West Java, on Friday (22 May 2026). Therefore, the specific provisions in the HR Bill are considered important to give legitimacy to human rights advocacy activities and to provide state protection. ‘I have fought under certain conditions as a Human Rights Defender, and this protection is being provided,’ she said. Article 115 states that a human rights defender who carries out advocacy activities in good faith cannot be prosecuted criminally or sued civilly. Meanwhile, Article 116 provides that human rights defenders have the right to protection when carrying out both litigious and non-litigious activities. These protections cover activities such as exercising legal representation, accompanying, representing, defending, and taking legal steps or other actions for oneself or others. Novita said that recognising HR defenders also signals a shift in the state’s view of human rights advocacy activity. In addition, the HR Bill also sets out funding through an endowment scheme to support the implementation of programmes for the development and promotion of human rights. ‘Well, we also regulate funding; there is an endowment fund. Why do we need an endowment fund? To ensure that P5HAM (Respect, Protection, Fulfilment, Enforcement, and Promotion of Human Rights) is implemented, that is, the state is present in its execution. And then for what? For human rights and democracy,’ she explained. She added that the fund is also prepared to support the strengthening of human rights and democracy in Indonesia.