To mark 20 years since the fall of Soeharto and the New Order regime, Indonesia at Melbourne is speaking to a range of prominent figures about their views on the reform process. Today we speak to Todung Mulya Lubis, human rights lawyer and recently appointed Indonesian Ambassador to Norway.

Although remarkable progress has been achieved in judicial reform since the end of the New Order in 1998, the justice sector still faces serious challenges, such as widespread judicial corruption. Rifqi Assegaf reflects on what has been achieved, and what has not, over the past 20 years.

Legal observers have welcomed President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s decision to select Saldi Isra to replace corruption suspect Patrialis Akbar on the Constitutional Court. Muhammad Tanziel Aziezi writes that the transparent and participatory selection process was crucial for improving public faith in the institution.

In our final post for 2016, we send off this rather depressing year by taking a look back at some of the expert commentary and analysis published on Indonesia at Melbourne. Thanks again for your loyal readership and support, and we look forward to seeing you again in mid-January.

The bizarre arrest of Perth teenager Jamie Murphy in Bali last month prompted another round of tabloid reporting about Australians whose dream Bali holiday had turned into a nightmare. But Professor Tim Lindsey writes that the image of Bali as a dangerous “Yobbo Paradise” is inaccurate. In fact, of the more than one million Australians who travelled to Bali last year, only 60 had direct contact with police over issues or charges.

Indonesia has recently seen a surge in enthusiasm for capital punishment, with public officials lining up to declare their support. How can this be explained? Are officials just responding to public demands? Nurkholis Hidayat examines Indonesia’s embrace of the death penalty and looks at what it means for the justice sector.

The release of a police circular on the management of hate speech has sparked fears in some quarters of a return to the restrictions on freedom of expression seen under the New Order. But as Irfan Abubakar writes, if implemented as intended, it could help to prevent religious conflict.

Professor Todung Mulya Lubis is one of Indonesia’s most respected lawyers and a champion of human rights and judicial reform. Indonesia at Melbourne spoke to Pak Mulya about the future of reform in the justice sector and the controversial Jakarta International School cases.

Indonesia has recently seen a run of corruption suspects challenging their investigations in pretrial hearings – and getting off. Former member of the Judicial Mafia Task Force Rifqi Assegaf explains the decisions that have allowed this to occur. Photo by Flickr user Charles Wiriawan.

Indonesia can easily dismiss Australia’s objections to the death penalty when it just involves Australians. But Jokowi’s policies have opened the window for a more powerful multinational response, write Dr Dave McRae and Diane Zhang.

Myuran Sukumaran​ and Andrew Chan’s deaths were pointless. Australia’s response to the executions should focus on how to prevent this happening again, writes Professor Tim Lindsey.

Professor Tim Lindsey and Associate Professor Simon Butt comment on the Bali Nine executions and the effect that politics is having on the prisoners’ appeals. Photo by Dave McRae.