Indonesia activists condemn four-star general rank for presumed president

Prabowo Subianto, right, receives four-star general epaulettes, from Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo. Photograph: Achmad Ibrahim/AP

Human rights experts have condemned a decision by Indonesia’s outgoing president to award the rank of honorary four-star general to his presumed successor, Prabowo Subianto, a controversial figure accused of human rights violations.

Prabowo, 72, a former son-in-law of the dictator Suharto and a special commander under his regime was dismissed from the military over allegations he was involved in kidnapping and torturing pro-democracy activists in 1998.