The Indonesian Parliament amended a law on Thursday to formally expand the military’s role in civilian affairs, triggering nationwide protests and drawing sharp criticism from human rights organizations.

The parliament amended multiple articles of the National Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia) Act, Law No. 34/2004. Key changes included revisions to Article 47, which will increase the number of civilian government institutions where active-duty military officers can be appointed from 10 to 14.  The additional institutions include the Attorney General’s Office, the National Border Management Agency, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) and the Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla).

The lawmakers also revised Article 53, raising the retirement age from 53 to 58 for enlisted personnel and non-commissioned officers and from 58 to 60 years for generals. Changes to Article 7 also expand the scope of Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) operations beyond traditional defense functions to include cyber defense, protection of national assets abroad, and other activities in line with national policy and legal provisions.

The changes were initially approved by the House of Representatives’ Defense, Foreign Affairs, and Intelligence Commission on Tuesday and were subsequently passed unanimously during a plenary session. The amendments are strongly backed by President Prabowo Subianto, a former general and the son-in-law of the late President Suharto.

After the fall of President Suharto’s “New Order” regime in 1998, Indonesia initiated a series of reforms aimed at dismantling the TNI’s dual function, or dwifungsi. A major step in this transition was the enactment of Law No. 34 of 2004 of the TNI, which emphasized the military’s neutrality in political and administrative affairs.

The amendments have received significant criticism from various rights organizations, who warn of democratic backsliding and weakening civilian oversight. A coalition of 186 civil society organizations, for instance, had previously launched a petition opposing the proposed changes. They argued that the amendments undermined democratic reforms established in the post-Suharto Reformasi era, which aimed to restrict military involvement in civilian governance.

Jakarta-based watchdog Imparsial reported that even before the legal amendments, over 2,500 active-duty officers were already serving in civilian posts, often outside the legal framework. Human Rights Watch (HRW) and six other organizations previously issued a joint statement urging lawmakers to withdraw the revisions. HRW Senior Researcher Andreas Harsono stated: “President Prabowo seems intent on embedding military power deeper into civilian structures.”

Widespread protests have also erupted in Jakarta and other cities over the revisions. The protestors, led by student groups and civil society networks, demand a repeal of the provisions and warn that the changes risk reversing hard-won democratic and human rights gains in the country.

Human rights advocates are particularly concerned about the implications for legal accountability. Under Indonesia’s 1997 Law on Military Tribunals, military personnel, even those in civilian roles, are subject to military jurisdiction if implicated in criminal activity. Military judges and prosecutors report to their commanding officers, and rights groups have long criticized this system for failing to hold the personnel accountable for rights violations.