ASEAN Regional Coalition to #StopDigitalDictatorship
human rights defenders, grapple with formidable
Collective, is dedicated to providing assistance for
challenges, encountering instances of OGBV. For
victims through three pillars: legal aid, technological
example, consider Veronica Koman, a woman
aid, and psychological aid. In 2022, out of the
human rights defender advocating for the West
98 complaints received by Task Force KBGO,
Papuan indigenous peoples.135 Since 2019, she faces
82 of them were submitted directly by victims,
OGBV, experiencing death threats, rape threats,
while the remaining 16 complaints were filed by
racist and misogynistic abuse via social media.
companions such as family members or friends.
She has been labelled a traitor due to her tweets
The majority of complaints, both from victims and
about the situation in Papua and a crackdown on
companions, came from individuals in the 21-25
pro-Papuan independence activists in Surabaya,
age group. The highest number and percentage
East Java, sparking weeks of protests.136
of complaints were from 21-year-olds, making up
Additionally, Veronica Koman faces charges in
Indonesia, including alleged “incitement,” “spreading
fake news,” “displaying race-based hatred,”137 and
“disseminating information aimed at inflicting
ethnic hatred.” The threats extend to Koman’s
family, underscoring the intersectionality of being
a woman human rights defender facing risks that
also extend to her family. In December 2021, the
UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human
rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, condemned Indonesia
to immediately cease threats, intimidation, and
reprisals against human rights defender Veronica
Koman and her family.138 Currently, Veronica
Koman is in self-imposed exile in Australia due to
13.27% of the total complaints. Following closely
were 25-year-old complainants, accounting for
12.24% of the total. The third-highest number
of complaints came from 24-year-olds, with 10
complaints (10.20%). On the other hand, individuals
aged 28, 30, 37, 38, and 49 each made up only
1.02% of the total complaints. Among the 98
complainants, there were two individuals for
whom Task Force OGBV couldn’t ascertain their
identities. These two victims were referred to
Task Force KBGO by the National Human Rights
Commission, Komnas Perempuan.141
Young people are more at risk of the
OGBV
considerable risks to her security in Indonesia.139
Lack of support and access to remedy
for survivors of OGBV cases
Despite these challenges, a comprehensive
analysis gap persists among public interest lawyers
and peer assistants providing support to justice
seekers in this context. One significant issue that
needs to be addressed is the imbalance between
the availability of institutions and communities
dedicated to handling OGBV cases and the
increasing number of OGBV cases year by year.140
The Task Force KBGO, initiated by PurpleCode
100
According to the 2022 Indonesian Internet Profile
released by the Indonesian Internet Service
Providers Association (APJII), the largest group of
internet users falls within the 19-34 age bracket.
This data supports the dominance of the 21-25
age range among complainants. It suggests
that individuals in this age group have more
extensive internet access, making it relatively
easier for them to find Task Force KBGO and file
complaints. However, this doesn’t necessarily
imply that other age groups are less susceptible
to experiencing OGBV. It may simply be due to
variations in internet access among different age
groups, which could be addressed by ensuring
Dawn of Digital Dictatorship: Weaponizing the Law Against Online Speech in Southeast Asia