inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. The Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) said that the Minister of Environment and Forestry Regulation Number 10 of 2024 aims to be an instrument to increase public participation and legal protection for environmental activists from retaliation.
Director General of Law Enforcement of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Rasio Ridho Sani, said that Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya on August 30th signed the Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry Number 10 of 2024 concerning Legal Protection for People Fighting for the Right to a Good and Healthy Environment.
The Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry is an implementing regulation as mandated in Law Number 32 of 2009, especially Article 66, which stipulates that anyone who fights for the right to a good and healthy environment cannot be prosecuted criminally or sued civilly.
"The goal is of course we want to guarantee environmental activists to increase their public participation, increase synergy between institutions and efforts to prevent pollution and environmental damage," said Director General Rasio, Tuesday (9/17/2024).
The regulation itself is also an instrument to provide protection to environmental activists that previously existed in the Attorney General's Guidelines Number 8 of 2022 concerning Handling of Criminal Cases in the Field of Environmental Protection and Management and Supreme Court Regulation Number 1 of 2023 concerning Guidelines for Adjudicating Environmental Cases.
The regulation divides the categories that receive protection in activities to fight for a good and healthy environment, namely individuals, groups of people, academics or experts, customary law communities, environmental organizations and business entities.
They are protected from activities such as weakening the struggle and participation, summons, criminal proceedings and civil lawsuits. Director General Ratio said that in the process, parties requiring protection submit documents to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry which will then be verified by an Assessment Team consisting of various elements including the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, related ministries/institutions, law enforcement officers, local governments, academics and related parties.
The team itself will be an odd number and at least seven people. "The form of legal protection is carried out by the Minister of Environment and Forestry by conveying the Minister's decision regarding retaliatory actions to law enforcement officers and applicants and providing legal aid services for retaliatory actions in the form of summonses and civil lawsuits," explained Director General of Ratio.
He also emphasized that to increase the effectiveness of protection for environmental activists, his party will coordinate with authorized institutions that have the authority to protect citizens. Including the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK), the National Human Rights Commission, and the National Women's Commission as well as the Police and the Attorney General's Office.
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