Indonesian government critics targeted by lies, violence: Amnesty

JAKARTA - Indonesia’s government is taking an “authoritarian” turn under President Prabowo Subianto, allowing disinformation to discredit critics and justify repression, Amnesty International said on May 19.

In a report titled Building Up Imaginary Enemies, the rights watchdog highlighted a trend of branding critics “foreign agents”.

One of them, Indonesian rights activist Andrie Yunus, became the victim in March of an acid attack that left him blind in one eye.

Mr Andrie, 27, has been a vocal critic of what many perceive as the military’s expanding role in government, and was attacked shortly after recording a podcast on the topic.

Amnesty said its investigations found “a growing pattern in which the Indonesian authorities – including the military – deploy online disinformation to target journalists, activists, academics and protesters in retaliation for their legitimate activism and expression”.

It also alleged tech companies Meta, TikTok, X and YouTube “have allowed harmful disinformation to remain online”.

The report said Mr Prabowo and senior officials have repeatedly accused critics of being paid, manipulated or controlled by foreign interests, claims then amplified on social media with posts branding people “foreign agents”.

Online slurs sometimes preceded violent attacks such as the one on Mr Andrie, said Amnesty.

“Authoritarian practices have accelerated in Indonesia under President Prabowo Subianto’s government, said an Amnesty press statement.

“In the 18 months since Prabowo took power, online disinformation has emerged as a key tactic to systematically discredit government critics, shut down public debate and justify repression,” it added.

And this while “social media companies sit back and let it happen”.

AFP has requested comment from the government and tech companies, but they still have to review the report.

In replies published in the Amnesty report, TikTok insisted it was working with “global safety partners” on content moderation, while Meta said it continued to update its annual human rights reporting.

Meta and TikTok pay AFP to fact-check posts with potentially false information.

Amnesty International regional researcher Chanatip Tatiyakaroonwong told AFP the report identified state actors involved in spreading false “foreign agent” claims, including members of Prabowo’s Gerindra party and at least one member of the presidential staff.

“Under international human rights law, the government has an obligation to refrain from spreading disinformation, to prevent state actors from doing so, and to stop and address such campaigns when they occur,” added Mr Chanatip.

“That failure to uphold the human rights of those targeted with these disinformation campaigns is what we are holding the government responsible for,” he said. AFP