Human Rights Law Revision: Minister Pigai Says Komnas HAM Will Operate Like the KPK

Jakarta, VIVA – Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai has stated that the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) will operate in a manner similar to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), following plans to expand its authority through a revision of Law Number 39 of 1999 on Human Rights.

“Komnas HAM will function like the KPK. The KPK has investigators. The police have investigators. The Attorney General’s Office has investigators. Soon, Komnas HAM will also have investigators — civil servant investigators,” Pigai said during a press conference at the Ministry of Human Rights building in Jakarta on Friday.

Investigative authority is one of the key enhancements to Komnas HAM’s powers being drafted by the government as part of the Human Rights Law revision. Pigai explained that Komnas HAM will have civil servant investigators who will be supervised by the Attorney General’s Office.

“They will also be civil servants, but the supervising institution will be the Attorney General’s Office. The education, technical aspects, competencies, knowledge, understanding, assessments, and credit points will all be handled by the Attorney General’s Office, as they are the supervisory body,” he said.

Pigai described the expanded authority as a legacy that would be left for the Indonesian nation. “An institution that has long been considered weak — we are giving it greater strength and authority to enforce human rights and conduct human rights adjudication,” he said.

He stated that the revision of the Human Rights Law is targeted for completion this year. Subsequently, in 2027, the Ministry of Human Rights plans to propose a revision of Law Number 26 of 2000 on the Human Rights Court.

“This year is about granting authority to Komnas HAM. After that, the technical aspects of how the judicial process will work, what the assignments will look like, and how implementation will proceed will be addressed in the revision of the Human Rights Court Law, as this concerns court proceedings,” he explained.

Pigai had earlier met with Attorney General ST Burhanuddin at the Attorney General’s Office in Jakarta on Friday. Following the meeting, Pigai told the press that the Attorney General supported the proposal to establish an investigative unit within Komnas HAM.

“I was truly surprised because, as a human rights activist and member of civil society, when I came to the Attorney General’s Office, they conveyed that what we are proposing — namely the revision of the Human Rights Law — and the Attorney General and the Attorney General’s Office stated that Komnas HAM may establish an investigation unit, specifically for gross human rights violations,” Pigai said.