Human Rights Minister Pigai Explains Plan to Form Team of Advisors for Human Rights Activists

Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai has explained the government’s plan to form an advisory team for human rights defenders or activists. This human rights advisory team will operate under several national commissions (Komnas) following the enactment of a new Human Rights Law.

“So, basically, human rights activists, defenders, or workers—some are paid, some are not. Paid means by partners, companies, or certain individuals, or purely unpaid work. That’s clear first, so there’s no misunderstanding in determining whether someone is working as a human rights defender or not; a team is needed to select based on determined criteria,” Pigai told reporters on Thursday (30/4/2026).

This advisory team will be under Komnas HAM up to Komnas Perempuan, depending on the human rights case being defended by an activist. Pigai stated that the human rights advisory team will select human rights activists under those Komnas.

“So if it’s a women’s issue case, then the selection or advisory team will be in Komnas Perempuan. If it’s children, then Komnas Anak. If it’s a disability case, then Komnas Disabilitas,” Pigai said.

“For human rights in general, Komnas HAM will determine it, with the existing criteria. After the law states that human rights defenders cannot be prosecuted, everyone will claim to be a human rights defender, so selection is needed on who is and who isn’t. That will be determined by the advisory team in Komnas HAM, Komnas Perempuan, Komnas Anak, Komnas Disabilitas,” he added.

According to Pigai, the basis for the rules on the human rights activists’ advisory team is the new Human Rights Law, which will regulate protection for human rights activists. Thus, this advisory team for human rights activists will operate after the new Human Rights Law is formed.

“So in that new law, I have included a special article that those who defend public interests, general interests, the weak, disability groups, without payment, but sincerely, objectively, impartially, cannot be prosecuted. I included that in the new article of the law,” he said.

After the new Human Rights Law is enacted, those Komnas will be required to form the advisory team for human rights activists. The advisory team for human rights activists is planned to be filled by academics, NGOs, and the ad hoc institutions themselves.

“There are NGOs with Komnas HAM and consisting of prominent, excellent people. Professors, academics,” he said.

Pigai explained the urgency of forming the advisory team for human rights activists, which is to avoid various interests behind public human rights advocacy. Pigai said this advisory team for human rights activists will apply to individuals, not human rights defence organisations.

“It can’t be organic, don’t get it wrong. Because one employee, one staff in an NGO, can be paid and sometimes unpaid. Sometimes they defend companies. Sometimes they become company consultants. Sometimes they defend those who pay,” Pigai stated.

“It must not be; the approach must not be organisational. But the approach is based on their advocacy activities when they carry out human rights defence tasks in the field,” he added.