Komnas HAM Commissioner Criticises PTUN Ruling on Fadli Case

National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) Commissioner Amiruddin Al Rahab has criticised the Jakarta State Administrative Court’s (PTUN) ruling that rejected a lawsuit by victims of the rapes during the May 1998 events. The case challenged a statement by Culture Minister Fadli Zon expressing disbelief in the occurrence of mass rapes.

According to Amiruddin, the PTUN’s ruling constitutes a justification of Fadli Zon’s denial. “At the same time, it also means closing the path for the victims of the May 1998 events to obtain their rights to truth, rights to justice, and rights to restoration from the state,” Amiruddin stated in his comments on Thursday, 23 April 2026.

Amiruddin emphasised that the PTUN Jakarta’s rejection of the lawsuit by the rape victims and their supporters does not make Fadli’s statement correct. He asserted that the true facts lie in the experiences of the victims.

To achieve legal certainty, Amiruddin believes the Attorney General should promptly conduct an investigation into the May 1998 events. “The investigation must be carried out by the Attorney General, as Komnas HAM recommended it several years ago,” he said.

The government, according to Amiruddin, needs to guarantee the fulfilment of the victims’ rights. The results of Komnas HAM’s investigation have established the May 1998 events as gross human rights violations, in accordance with Articles 7 and 9 of Law No. 26 of 2000 on Human Rights Courts.

Previously, PTUN Jakarta stated that it could not accept the lawsuit by several citizens against Culture Minister Fadli Zon regarding his statements on evidence of the 1998 mass rapes. The panel of judges delivered the ruling through an electronic court session (e-court) on Tuesday, 21 April 2026.

In its decision, the panel of judges accepted Fadli Zon’s exception as the defendant regarding jurisdiction or absolute competence. “On the merits of the case: the plaintiffs’ lawsuit is not accepted,” the ruling stated, as quoted from the PTUN Jakarta e-court. The panel of judges also ordered the plaintiffs to pay court costs of Rp 233,000.

The court processed this case for approximately six months since its registration on 2 October 2025. The plaintiffs sued the government’s administrative action in the form of Fadli Zon’s official statement questioning the “supporting data” in the report of the Joint Fact-Finding Team (TGPF) for May 1998.