Protecting Environmental Defenders in Asia
Indonesia
Environmental defenders in Indonesia work tirelessly to address the grave environmental challenges confronting the country, including deforestation, rising sea levels, and declining fisheries. Although Indonesia’s environmental protection law shields those fighting for “a good and healthy environment” from civil and criminal prosecutions, an increasing number of environmental defenders have been targeted with abusive litigation in recent years. Known as strategic lawsuits against public participation or SLAPPs, these suits are filed to harass, intimidate, and silence critics.
The Indonesian Center for Environment Law (ICEL) has been at the forefront of efforts to prevent the use of SLAPPs to suppress environmental activism in the country. With support from ICNL, ICEL worked with both the Supreme Court and the Attorney General’s Office to develop and adopt guidelines protecting environmental defenders from SLAPPs.
These guidelines are already having an impact. In October 2024, judges referred to the Supreme Court document when deliberating on lawsuits filed by a mining company against two residents of Torobulu for obstructing their operations. The activists each faced up to eight months in prison. The judges dismissed the charges, stating that the activists could not be punished as their actions met the standards for environmental advocacy as established in the guidelines.
To provide environmental defenders with even more protection from SLAPPs, ICEL is now working with Indonesian legislators to codify these principles in criminal law. ICNL will continue to support ICEL’s efforts – and similar initiatives around the globe – to ensure that environmental defenders can safely advocate for the protection of their communities and the environment.
