Urgent Release 18 August 2026

Her Excellency

Ms. Roberta Metsola

President of the European Parliament

European Parliament

Rue Wiertz 60

B-1047 Brussels

Belgium

Copenhagen, Denmark

Tanggal : 18-08-2026

Urgent Release 18 August 2026

Kidnapping and intimidation continued after the grand rally at the

Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Banda Aceh on 15 August 2026, causing

grave concerns amongst Acehnese.

On Saturday, 15 August 2026, a grand rally attended by more than 30 000

Acehnese, from all elements coming from all over Aceh, to perform special

prayers for peace, prosperity and dignity for the people of Aceh.

It was carried out peacefully and accordingly by the organizing committee. But

immediately after the session, skirmishes broke out when the Indonesian soldiers

and police forces, using live-bullets and tear gas, tried to disperse the crowd. In the

process, several people were injured.

We have received reports that the Indonesian security forces continued their

harassment and illegal reprisals by carrying out checkpoints when the people

returned to their hometown. There have been threats by the TNI/Police to even

arrest the organizers and even some Achehnese that they have identified during

the scuffle.

In fact a man, by the name of Ilyas, from Buloh Blang Ara, North Aceh was

kidnapped yesterday, 17 August on his journey home. We are still trying to locate

his whereabouts after he was abducted at Krueng Mane and forcibly taken to a

military garrison, KODIM Lhokseumawe. But it has yet to be verified.

These illegal acts are against human rights norms and international humanitarian

law, and are still ongoing after three decades of armed-conflict which ended with

the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, Helsinki, Finland on 15

August 2005.

We kindly call upon the international community to stop this extrajudcial arrest and

disappearance with impunity.

Respectfully,

Leader of the Free Aceh Movement