Indonesian Diaspora in Germany Rallies Against Controversial Criminal Procedure Bill

Indonesians living in Germany have mounted fresh resistance to the planned ratification of Indonesia’s revised Criminal Procedure Code, staging a coordinated protest outside the Indonesian Embassy in Berlin. Demonstrators argued that the bill, set for approval this week, would hand sweeping powers to law enforcement and undermine democratic freedoms.

Community groups warned that several provisions expand police authority to carry out arrests, searches, and travel restrictions even without confirmed criminal violations. Critics say these clauses expose activists and civil society groups to abuse, while elevating the police into an institution with unchecked investigative control.

The protest also revived long-standing grievances over the government’s decision to designate former President Soeharto and Sarwo Edhie Wibowo as national heroes. Many participants carried black umbrellas and posters highlighting human rights violations tied to both figures, calling the move an insult to victims of past abuses.

Representatives of the diaspora demanded an immediate reversal of the hero titles and urged President Prabowo Subianto to address the unresolved crimes associated with the Soeharto era. They also pressed for the release of political detainees arrested during August’s demonstrations and called for an end to projects in Merauke that have devastated huge swathes of rainforest and displaced Indigenous communities.

The Berlin action mirrored a parallel demonstration in Melbourne, where Indonesian diaspora groups delivered petitions condemning the hero designations and accusing Soeharto of systemic rights violations. Activists in both countries said the growing wave of protests reflects frustration with shrinking democratic space and the government’s refusal to engage with public concerns.

The latest rallies add to a series of overseas demonstrations by Indonesian expatriates, many of which in the past have faced restrictions or police crackdowns.