Pigai's Clarification on Determining Activist Status: Protecting Human Rights Defenders from Criminalisation
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The discourse on determining the status of human rights activists by a government-formed team has sparked controversy.
On one hand, Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai emphasised that the idea is not to restrict or “judge” who qualifies as an activist, but rather to ensure legal protection for human rights defenders so they cannot be easily prosecuted.
Pigai stated that the circulating narrative is misleading and could create a wrong perception in society.
“The circulating title is misleading and could create a wrong perception. I am actually ensuring maximum protection for human rights defenders so they cannot be prosecuted,” said Pigai in a written statement on Thursday (30/4/2026).
“If they defend the little people, the weak who are fighting for justice, then they happen to be human rights defenders, and their status as human rights defenders will be established,” he said.
Regulations on this are planned to be included by the Ministry of Human Rights in the revision of the Human Rights Law, which will soon be sent to the DPR.
National activist figures to serve as assessors
Initially, Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai proposed a plan for determining the status of human rights activists by an assessor team.
“The Ministry of Human Rights will appoint people, including national activist figures, professional figures, top scientists, like Mr Makarim Wibisono, former Chair of the UN Human Rights Commission. People of their calibre are not subjective. They are done. The assessor team will certainly be objective with criteria,” said Pigai in an exclusive interview with ANTARA in Jakarta on Wednesday (29/4/2026).
The composition of the assessor team will consist of figures with competence in human rights.
“We will select from various elements. There will be from civil society communities, from the government namely the Ministry of Human Rights, from Komnas HAM itself, Komnas Anak, Komnas Perempuan, Komnas Disabilitas. We will also ask law enforcement officials to be members of the assessor team, so they can see that this is genuine,” said Pigai.
The status of human rights activist borne by someone will determine that the person is entitled to legal protection.
According to Pigai, protection will only be given to parties who defend public interests, especially vulnerable groups, without personal or commercial interests.