Samsul Bahri and Samsir, father and son from a farmer community in North Sumatra province, have been detained since 10 February 2021 in what is feared to be spurious charges. Advocates have labelled their arrest as a form of criminalization that specifically aims to stifle the farmers’ work in rehabilitating a mangrove forest in the area and their work to claim their rights to land. Environmental human rights defenders in Indonesia are among the most persecuted activists in the country. Many continue to face intimidation, threats, and accusations that appear to be used to undermine their activities.
