New Regulation Will Allow Government to Ban Organisation Without Trial

Spokesman of Indonesia’s Hizbut Tahrir Ismail Yusanto

Jakarta, 19 Shawwal 1438/ 13 July 2017 (MINA) – Indonesia’s president Joko Widodo “Jokowi” has signed a decree giving the government to revoke mass organisation’s permit without trial if proven as an anti-Pancasila organisation.

It is likely that Indonesia’s Hizbut Tahrir, a group that campaigns for the country to adopt shariah law and become a caliphate, is among the targets of the decree after the government announced in May that it planned to ban the group, the Belfast Telegraph reported.

Wiranto, the co-ordinating minister for politics, security and law, said the decree is aimed at protecting the unity and existence of Indonesia as a nation and not at discrediting Islamic groups. Wiranto, who uses one name, said the order was signed by President Jokowi on Monday.

New York-based Human Rights Watch condemned the move, calling it a “troubling violation” of the rights to freedom of association and expression despite it being supported by moderate groups such as Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesia’s largest Muslim organisation.

Indonesia researcher for Human Rights Watch, Andreas Harsono, said the government already has the power to take legal action against any group suspected of violating the law.

“Banning any organisation strictly on ideological grounds … is a draconian action that undermines rights of freedom of association and expression that Indonesians have fought hard to establish since the Suharto dictatorship,” Mr Harsono said.

Meanwhile, on Monday, Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) said it plans to seek judicial review of the decree in the Constitutional Court. (L/RE1/RS5)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)