Riots On Jakarta To Opposite President elect Joko Widodo Ceased by Opposition Supporters
Post-election riots in Jakarta following Prabowo Subianto's rejection of the 2019 presidential result left eight dead and drew international human rights condemnation.
Key Facts
- Dates of unrest
- 21–22 May 2019
- Deaths reported
- 8 people
- Primary location
- Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta and West Jakarta
- Election disputed
- 2019 Indonesian presidential election
- Amnesty International finding
- Grave human rights violations against protesters
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Incumbent President Joko Widodo was declared winner of the 2019 Indonesian presidential election, but his challenger, former general Prabowo Subianto, refused to accept the result. Prabowo's campaign team called for public protests following the preliminary announcement of Jokowi's victory.
On 21 and 22 May 2019, protests erupted in Jakarta around election agency buildings and spread into rioting overnight, particularly in the Tanah Abang district of Central Jakarta and in West Jakarta. Security forces intervened, and eight protesters were reported killed in extrajudicial killings, with hundreds more injured.
Amnesty International issued a report condemning the security forces' treatment of protesters as grave human rights violations. The unrest highlighted deep political polarisation in Indonesia following a closely contested presidential race and raised concerns about the use of lethal force against civilian demonstrators.
Political Outcome
Protests and riots were suppressed; Joko Widodo's election victory stood, while Amnesty International condemned security forces for extrajudicial killings of eight protesters.