Jokowi-Ma’ruf Administration's First Year Marred by Protests, a Recession, and a Pandemic

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Down goes democracy and freedom of expression

One of the main criticisms regularly mentioned is the rise of oligarchy during the Jokowi-Ma’ruf administration particularly concerning the dwindling down of democracy and respect to freedom of expression in Indonesia.

The Freedom House noted that there has been a decline in freedom of expression in the Southeast Asian nation.

The growing restrictions on speech have picked up steam and are evident in how officials react to people who criticize or protest the Indonesian government.

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Many experts find that democracy and freedom of speech have weakened during the first year of the Jokowi-Ma’ruf administration.

Moreover, individuals and groups critical of the government have been met with acts of terror, and authorities not only hack social media accounts, they openly arrest and withhold people under various charges.

The Commission for the Victims of Violence and Missing Persons reported nearly 157 incidents that violated democratic rights in the past year.

Most of the violations were on the right to gather (93 incidents), right to expression (60 incidents), and attacks on civil liberty (four incidents).