INTERVIEW / PBHI vows to continue rights work amid Indonesia's human rights decline

Taipei, Dec. 14 (CNA) As a lawyer and human rights defender standing up for vulnerable groups across Indonesia, Julius Ibrani is no stranger to intimidation from authorities, and the fear of reprisals is ever-present.

"I am still human ... I'm not Superman," Julius told CNA in an interview in Taipei, shortly after his organization, the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association, commonly known as PBHI, was honored with the Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award.

Julius, who has led PBHI since 2021, has faced numerous challenges throughout his decades-long advocacy, including constant surveillance by security officers.

This summer, he was forced to relocate with his wife and daughter and temporarily shut down a small family business due to repeated harassment.

Even before his departure from Jakarta earlier this week, Julius said he received calls urging him not to visit Taiwan for the award presented by the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD) on Wednesday.

Nevertheless, he said he had learned to "embrace" his fears, and that years of working in this field had taught him how to engage more tactfully with the authorities.

For example, PBHI helped secure the release of a pregnant woman detained during anti-government protests last August, pairing legal aid with a campaign that galvanized public outrage, especially among mothers, over the case.

Democratic setback

Indonesia's human rights conditions have deteriorated, Julius said, drawing parallels between today's shrinking civic space and official impunity and the situation roughly 30 years ago, when PBHI was founded by dozens of activists at the tail end of former President Suharto's authoritarian rule.

The current administration of Prabowo Subianto has drawn criticism for its violent crackdown on a large demonstration in late August that was initially sparked by new government perks for parliamentarians and later escalated by the killing of a scooter taxi driver by a police vehicle.

The handling of the nationwide protests, which led to thousands of arrests, drew criticism from Amnesty International over what it described as law enforcement's "excessive and unlawful use of force."

Global networks

As one of Indonesia's leading human rights organizations, PBHI has supported civilians and activists facing prosecution by providing legal aid, and has documented the killings, kidnappings and arbitrary detention allegedly carried out by the authorities.

Founded in 1996, PBHI has for the last three years sought to expand its international partnerships, a development Julius described as "quite powerful."

Working with partners across the region and beyond, he said, strengthens human rights campaigning efforts and increases the likelihood of attracting attention from international media and organizations.

Julius said the award from the TFD -- a nonprofit funded by the Taiwanese government and dedicated to promoting democracy -- was "a recognition of our advocacy, of our struggles."

"It means that we have to do more," he said.