Indonesia's Human Rights Commission probes 486 online removals tied to August riots

Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) held a hearing with officials from the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs and the Jakarta Metropolitan Police to investigate the August 27 riots. Saurlin P. Siagian, the commission's monitoring commissioner, reported that the ministry acknowledged restricting 486 online items, alleging they might breach criminal law. Among the censored material was a video depicting the assault and death of mirror seller Bambang Setiawan on Pejompongan Raya Street, which the ministry said was removed for its graphic nature.

Earlier, the ministry's director general of public communication, Fifi Aleyda Yahya, had insisted the video remained accessible online. The commission is now reviewing whether the takedowns met legal standards. The case highlights tensions between digital censorship and human-rights oversight in Indonesia.