HTI DISSOLVED FOR ACTIVITIES AGAINST STATE IDEOLOGY

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, July 19 (Antara) - The Indonesian government, through the Ministry of Law and Human Rights finally, has revoked the legal status of major Muslim organization Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) for activities allegedly against the state ideology Pancasila.         The legal status of the HTI was revoked after President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) issued a Government Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) No. 2 Year of 2017 on amendment of Law No. 17/2013 on Mass Organizations.          The Perppu No. 2 Year of 2017, which enables the government to take the necessary actions against mass organizations considered to have ideals which contradict the state ideology Pancasila, was announced by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Wiranto on July 12.          HTI viewed the government's step to revoke its legal status as an arbitrary action. "The issuance of Perppu No. 2/2017 constitutes the government's arbitrary action because it abolishes a legal process in court for an organization allegedly committing violations. By revoking HTI's legal status, the government committed two arbitrary actions," HTI Spokesman Ismail Yusanto said when contacted by Antara on Wednesday.