On 22 September, the coordinating minister and eight months. The charge related to an for maritime and investment affairs accused incident in June 2020 when Aan Aminah had Haris Azhar and Fatia Maulidiyanti of been attempting to speak to company bosses “spreading false information” in connection about the termination of contracts of several with a YouTube video they hosted in August workers when she defended herself against 2020 in which they reported allegations that forcible removal by security guards.5 She was the minister and members of the military acquitted on 6 July, but the prosecutor were involved in the mining industry in appealed against the decision. No decision Papua. The two video hosts were sent had been made on the appeal by the end of subpoenas on 26 August and 2 September the year. by the minister under the EIT Law and faced On 1 May, police arrested dozens of criminal investigation. students who were participating in peaceful In August, the police interrogated several protests to mark International Labour Day in individuals suspected of making murals and the capital, Jakarta, and the city of Medan. posters featuring messages critical of the The police reportedly claimed that only government that appeared in several cities.3 manual workers were permitted to take part On 13 September, at least seven students of in Labour Day events. Universitas Sebelas Maret in Surakarta in EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE Central Java were arrested after unfurling posters during a visit to the campus by Peaceful protests against the renewal of and President Widodo. The posters contained revisions to the Special Autonomy Law for appeals to the president to support local Papua, passed by Indonesia’s House of farmers, address corruption and prioritize Representatives on 15 July, were met with public health during the pandemic.4 disproportionate force including beatings, FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION AND water cannon and baton rounds. ASSEMBLY Protests took place in Jakarta and Papua against the extension of the special autonomy Authorities continued to arbitrarily arrest and status of Papua, and against new provisions detain political activists in the regions of introducing additional central government Papua and Maluku where there was a history powers over Papuan affairs and removing the of pro-independence movements. At year’s right of Papuans to form political parties. On end, at least 15 Papuan prisoners of 14 July, at least four students were injured in conscience and 11 from Maluku were still Jayapura after clashes with security forces. imprisoned. All were charged with or found Police reportedly beat protesters using their guilty of makar (rebellion) provisions of fists, guns and rubber batons. Indonesia’s Criminal Code. On 15 July, police dispersed protesters in On 9 May authorities in Jayapura, the front of the House of Representatives capital of Papua, arrested Papuan pro- building in Jakarta. At least 50 people were independence activist Victor Yeimo who was arrested. One protester described being peacefully protesting against racial beaten, punched, stamped on and racially discrimination. He was charged with violating abused by members of the security forces Article 106 on treason and Article 110 on before being pulled into a truck and taken to conspiracy to commit treason under the the Jakarta police headquarters. On 16 Criminal Code. His trial was pending at the August, during another protest in Jayapura, end of the year. security forces used water cannons, rubber Individuals supporting workers’ rights were batons, and baton rounds to disperse detained. On 22 February, Aan Aminah, the protesters. head of the Militant Trade Unions Federation, was detained on charges of assault, which carries a prison sentence of up to two years Amnesty International Report 2021/22 195