TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia has called for the immediate withdrawal of military personnel deployed alongside police to secure student-led demonstrations in Jakarta on Friday, June 12, 2026.
Usman Hamid, executive director of Amnesty International Indonesia, warned that the large-scale deployment of personnel from the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the National Police (Polri) could increase the risk of excessive force against protesters.
"The massive deployment of police and military personnel in public spaces often creates an atmosphere of intimidation for civilians exercising their constitutional rights," Usman said in a written statement on Friday.
Concerns Over Military Involvement
The former pro-democracy activist also questioned the involvement of the military in managing civilian demonstrations. He argued that the TNI's primary mandate is national defense and that it is neither tasked nor trained to handle civilian crowds, unlike the police.
"The demonstrators are citizens peacefully expressing their views, not threats that must be dealt with through a security approach," he said.
Usman also pointed to the violence that occurred during the August 2025 protests, which he said illustrated the dangers of excessive force by security personnel. The incidents, he noted, led to mass arrests, the criminalization of activists, and casualties.
"The state is obliged to provide a safe space for citizens to express their opinions," Usman said, urging police to prioritize dialogue and persuasion over repression.
He also called on President Prabowo Subianto and his administration to respond to the students' demands, which include a review of state budget spending, lower prices for basic goods, the cancellation of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program and the Red and White Village Cooperative initiative, and an end to what they describe as growing militarization in civilian affairs.
"Student demonstrations are not a threat to national security. Authorities must protect freedom of expression and ensure the safety of demonstrators," Usman said.
Police Defend Security Measures
Meanwhile, the Jakarta Metropolitan Police and the TNI have deployed thousands of personnel to secure demonstrations planned around the Hotel Indonesia (HI) Roundabout in Central Jakarta.
Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Budi Hermanto said a total of 4,151 personnel had been assigned, including 500 soldiers and 3,651 police officers.
Budi said police respect the public's right to express their views and urged demonstrators to protest peacefully while respecting other road users.
"The personnel deployed on the ground are there to provide security and ensure that activities proceed safely, orderly, and without disrupting the public," he said in a statement issued on Thursday.
Several student groups from Jakarta and surrounding areas staged demonstrations on Friday. Among them were the University of Jakarta (UNJ) Against Alliance and the "Indonesia Heading Toward Bankruptcy" movement led by the University of Indonesia Student Executive Board (BEM UI).
The UNJ alliance held its protest at the university's Rawamangun campus in East Jakarta, while the BEM UI-led coalition initially planned to rally at the HI Roundabout.
However, police redirected the group to the area in front of the parliamentary complex. BEM UI chair Yatalathof Ma'shum Imawan said more than 1,000 students joined the protest.
The students departed from the University of Indonesia campus in Depok aboard buses organized into 16 groups. As of Friday afternoon, organizers said many participants remained blocked by police in the Semanggi and Senayan areas of Central Jakarta while attempting to reach the protest site.
Read: UI Students Skip DPR Protest Over Loss of Trust in Parliament
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