“My calling is to be exactly who I am and I need to fight”

Riska Carolina on the fight for LGBTQ+ rights in Indonesia

Riska Carolina has suffered discrimination and persecution as a lawyer and human rights defender in Indonesia. She fights for the rights of LGBTQ+ communities and women, even as the Indonesian government cracks down on and criminalises basic human rights.

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your motivations for becoming a human rights defender?

I'm an Indonesian human rights defender and my speciality is in sexuality law. In Indonesia, all laws and policies relate to sexuality

My motivation to become a human rights defender was simple. In 2014, when I was studying for my Master’s degree I realised that everything in my life was pushing me in that direction. As a woman and lesbian from a small conservative island, I found answers by learning more about human rights. I started asking why.

"Why can't I serve as a civil servant if I openly identify as lesbian? Why can't I get a government scholarship if I identify as lesbian? And why is it lawful for society to drink my blood just because I'm out?"

I started to see injustice - for being a woman, a lesbian, for how I expressed my gender, for my ethnicity, where I came from, my disability. And it made me think about the things I wasn’t entitled to because of my layered identity. I thought to myself, “you can't get what you want if you are not defending human rights for justice”.

So I left the old Riska behind and every ambition that my younger self craved. I changed it into one goal to fight for inequality. My calling is to be exactly who I am and I need to fight. I don't have a choice.

Why and how did your organisation come about?

Currently I work at the Crisis Response Mechanism (CRM) Consortium. We focus on mobilising and coordinating resources for prevention and response to crises in the LGBTQ+ community. Previously I worked for five years at the Indonesian Planned Parenthood Association as an advocacy and policy specialist. I have also worked for the oldest human rights organisation in Indonesia, ELSAM, as a researcher.

I formed my own organisation while I was studying for my Master's in 2014. It’s an organisation of young academics who came together due to anxiety about the difficulty of getting references about sexuality which is still taboo in Indonesia.

Can you tell us about the new Penal Code? What are the impacts on women, the LGBT community, and activists?

Indonesia is obsessed with having its own Criminal Code. The criminal law used in Indonesia is still the criminal law of the Dutch colonial era. The revision of the code is more cruel and suppresses the basic rights of citizens. Some of the most worrying topics are:

1. Article 2 of the penal code recognizes “every living law” in Indonesia, which can be interpreted not only to include customary law but also sharia regulations at the local level. There is a growing number of "family resilience" local regulations that will target LGBTQ+ community for conversion therapy. This will lead to increased discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community in Indonesia.

2. The right to access contraception is being threatened. The draft Criminal Code stipulates a maximum fine of one million rupiah for anyone who offers a minor information on contraception. Information on contraception and access to abortion may only be provided by authorised officials - undermining comprehensive sex education.

3. Criminalization of sex outside marriage (cohabitation/adultery). Indonesia will jail people suspected of having sex outside of marriage and cohabiting partners outside of marriage, including same-sex couples. 

4. The draft Penal Code will also criminalise “obscene acts“ in public with a penalty of up to one year in prison or fine. There isn’t a clear definition of the term 'obscene' in the code but this could be used to target LGBTQ+ people.

5. The right to freedom of opinion and expression. A large number of articles in the penal code have the potential to criminalise journalistic work and impinge upon press freedom. These articles cover a wide range of issues such as crimes against 'State Ideology'; Crimes of Insulting the Honor or Dignity of the President and Vice President; a Crime of Broadcasting or Disseminating False News or Notifications; the criminalisation of acts of 'humiliation' of the Government; Crimes against Insulting Public Powers and State Institutions; and the Crime of Defamation that will impact to freedom of speech.

In your opinion, what needs to happen to reverse the trend in Indonesian human rights standards?

Every country is obliged to strengthen the principles of human rights, especially in Indonesia. If a country really believes that human rights are important, universal principles and anti-discrimination must be upheld so that all people can enjoy their human rights and become a just country. A just country is a country that is advanced in humanity and economy.

Can you tell us about the Fellowship in Dundee? What inspired you to apply and what do you hope to achieve?

Applying for this Fellowship is a combination of community support and my need to stay healthy and sane. Working as a human rights defender is not a hobby but a struggle, and it’s not easy. I’ve suffered serious health concerns in recent years including major depression a stroke. I thought at the time that maybe I should take a step back and focus on my wellbeing.

A friend put forward my name in the fellowship, and I was asked to follow the process. At that time, I had nothing to lose. If I got it, I'd be grateful, if I didn’t, that would be fine too. But my community is very supportive, they know that the past two years have been very hard for me, and I need a new atmosphere to rest and respite then fight again later.

We’re standing with defenders like Ris who put themselves and their families at risk every day to stand up to those in power and fight for basic human rights. If you’d like to find out more on how you can support the work of Ris and other brave defenders, check out our Donate page. We’re stronger together.