Overview

Many health workers did not have access to adequate personal protective equipment or COVID-19 tests. The right to freedom of expression was curtailed with the issuance of a directive by the National Police criminalizing criticism of the government’s response to the pandemic. An increasing number of people were imprisoned solely for expressing their opinions or organizing peaceful protests. Unidentified parties digitally intimidated academics, students, activists, human rights defenders, social justice leaders and journalists, trying to silence their critical voices. Several journalists filed police complaints in August; investigations remained pending at year’s end. At least 35 prisoners of conscience remained imprisoned. Security forces committed human rights violations against people in Papua and West Papua, largely with impunity. The House of Representatives dropped the Sexual Violence Eradication Bill from its priority list. The LGBTI community remained under threat following misleading statements made by several public officials on grounds of “morality”.

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