Together with the Indonesian Centre for Human Rights Studies at the Islamic University (Pusham Ull), NCHR organized recently a book launch in Yogyakarta. Indonesia’s Chief Justice was among the participants.
NCHR has cooperated with Pusham UII since 2003, and the close partnership has resulted in a range of publications, trainings and seminars, primarily targeting human rights lecturers and judges in Indonesia. The recent book launch marked the end of a rather lengthy joint effort to explore legal reasoning and the use of human rights methodology within the Indonesian justice system.
Human Rights Interpretation in Indonesia
The book addresses how international human rights law can be applied in Indonesia, and discusses the position of human rights within specific areas of Indonesian law. The book's primary objective is to promote a more consistent application of human rights standards within Indonesian legal practice. It consists of two parallel editions (one in Indonesian and one in English, tailored for international readers). The Indonesian edition is now available in Indonesian bookstores. The Routledge edition is expected to be published in April 2024, and can be pre-ordered online.
Successful event on human rights principles in Indonesian legal practice
Well over 100 people, representing a diverse range of backgrounds and expertise, attended the book launch in Yogyakarta. The Chief Justice of Indonesia, the Rector of Universitas Islam Indonesia, and the Head of the National Human Rights Commission were among the prominent speakers during the event. Additionally, representatives from the Constitutional Court, the Indonesian police, the Prosecution Office, various levels of local courts, academics, and NGO representatives were present. Some participated digitally. The editors of the book, Eko Riyadi from Pusham Ull and Aksel Tømte from NCHR, were also present during the book launch, and took active part in parallel sessions discussing and analysing different chapters from the book.
The Chief Justice expressed high praise for the book, and commended Pusham UII and the NCHR for their involvement with the publication. The positive feedback from such esteemed personalities further underscored the importance of the book's content and its potential impact.
A prominent international expert on Indonesian Law, Professor Simon Butt, also delivered a speech during the event. He commended the book's balanced approach, its comprehensive comparative and theoretical perspectives, and the valuable insights contributed by leading practitioners. He considered the book to be a valuable resource and a significant contribution to the field.
The event served as a platform for sharing knowledge and advancing the understanding and implementation of human rights principles in Indonesian legal practice. Hopefully, the book will also be of particular interest to human rights scholars concerned with the role of national judiciaries in human rights implementation.