The Civil Society Coalition Against Impunity now places great hope on the ruling of the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN) regarding lawsuit case number 303/G/2025/PTUN-JKT. The ruling, scheduled to be read at the end of April 2026, is seen as a crucial turning point for restoring moral standards and civility in Indonesia's political and legal realms.
The lawsuit was triggered by statements from the Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, who previously labeled the mass rape tragedy of May 1998 as a fantasy and a fairy tale. The statement drew sharp criticism as it was deemed unsupported by databases, historical facts, or authentic evidence regarding the location, time, and perpetrators on the ground.
The Chairman of the Joint Fact-Finding Team (TGPF) for the May 1998 Incident, Marzuki Darusman, emphasized that this legal step is not merely an administrative matter, but an urgent effort to maintain public trust in the state's legal governance. According to him, judges hold a decisive position in examining the actions of public officials so they do not carelessly make claims that hurt the victims and the nation's history.
"This PTUN serves as an entry point for us to reform legal practices that are currently under the spotlight. We hope the panel of judges can make an objective decision despite any pressure that may exist," Marzuki said during a press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday (7/4/2026).
In the petition submitted to the court, the coalition demands that Fadli Zon's administrative action be declared an unlawful act by a government official. They also urge that the controversial statement be officially retracted from the Ministry of Culture's news broadcasts and demand a public apology.
Marzuki emphasized that if Fadli Zon persists with his views, the burden of scientific proof must be borne by the defendant. For him, the nation's integrity in facing its dark historical past reflects the maturity of the democracy being built in Indonesia.
