reports of missing individuals, especially in areas that were the centre of mass mobilization for the protest such as Jakarta and Bandung. In response to that, on 1 September 2025, KontraS initiated a report channel for missing persons that allegedly disappeared in the context of the protests. The task force of the channel not only received reports, but also tried to verify the whereabouts of the reported person, and documented the security forces’ measures that may account for enforced disappearances.
From the searching and verification process that KontraS has done towards all complaints received, the majority of them were cases of enforced disappearance. They were held in incommunicado detention by the police and were not allowed to be accompanied by legal counsels of their choices. In other words, the police had concealed the fate and whereabouts of the detainees. This situation put the victims outside the protection of law, which allowed them to underwent torture, arbitrary arrest, and unfair trial. These elements are constitutive elements of enforced disappearance, as stated in the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons on Enforced Disappearances (ICPPED), which has been signed by Indonesia on 27 September 2010.
In total, KontraS received 44 reports on missing persons. 8 of them were missing due to miscommunication and lost contact with the person filing the reports, while the other 33 were subjected to short-term enforced disappearances. Although the whereabouts of the victims’ whereabouts have been verified at last, the period when their fate and whereabouts were concealed amounted to enforced disappearances. Out of the 44 reports that KontraS received, there are other 2 people who remain disappeared.
This report is not only aimed to document the practices of enforced disappearances within the context of protests on 25–31 August 2025, but to demand accountability from the state as well of the occurrence of this human rights violation. This is because enforced disappearance is not new in Indonesia. It has been occurring since a long time ago, especially during the New Order period to silence critics and opponents of the government. No thorough and substantial evaluation and institutional reform ever has taken place led to the persistence of enforced disappearances. “KontraS concluded that enforced disappearances that occurred during the demonstrations on 25–31 August 2025 constitutes human rights violations. Hence, the state is obligated to guarantee non-recurrence of the event in the future,” said Dimas Bagus Arya, Coordinator of KontraS.
Full report can be access here
KontraS
Komisi Untuk Orang Hilang dan Korban Tindak Kekerasan
