Surabaya, en.SERU.co.id – Muhammad Sholeh, the Sidoarjo-based advocate better known as Cak Sholeh, died at Siloam Hospital early Friday morning, 7 August 2026, around 3 a.m. local time. The public figure famous for the slogan “No Viral No Justice” had battled an autoimmune disease for five years.
His wife, Ana, confirmed the news and offered a public apology on his behalf.
“Yes, my husband has passed away. I ask for forgiveness if he ever made any mistakes,” she said Friday morning.
According to Ana, Cak Sholeh had lived with the autoimmune condition for about five years. His health declined sharply in recent weeks, leading to nearly three weeks of hospital care. “He died at 3 a.m. He had been treated at Siloam for 20 days,” she explained.
The body will be buried at Pondok Pesantren Singa Putih Munfaridin in Prigen, Pasuruan, East Java. Cak Sholeh served as deputy caretaker of the Islamic boarding school.
A Voice for Cases That Needed Attention
Cak Sholeh was a familiar face in East Java legal circles. He frequently appeared in cases that drew public interest, ranging from alleged medical malpractice and public service disputes to both criminal and civil matters.
His signature phrase, “No Viral No Justice,” captured his frustration with unequal access to justice. He used the slogan both as a critique and as a call to action, pushing overlooked cases into the public eye so they could no longer be ignored. The phrase later became the name of the legal aid organization he led.
For Cak Sholeh, social media was more than a place to share opinions. It was a practical tool for elevating community problems and pressuring authorities to take cases more seriously.
Read Also:
From Student Activist to Advocate
Long before he practiced law, Sholeh was an activist. He graduated from the Faculty of Law at Universitas Wijaya Kusuma Surabaya. Earlier, he completed his studies at Madrasah Tsanawiyah Tebuireng in Jombang in 1991.
During his university years he joined Solidaritas Mahasiswa Indonesia untuk Demokrasi (SMID), a student group linked to the People’s Democratic Party (PRD). As the New Order regime neared its end, his activism intensified. He chaired the PRD Surabaya branch from 1998 to 2000.
The path was not without cost. In 1996, while the New Order was still in power, he was arrested on subversion charges and sentenced to four years in prison by the Surabaya District Court. He served roughly one and a half years at Kalisosok Prison in Surabaya before his release.
That experience shaped the advocate he later became. After leaving prison he devoted himself to the law, not only in the courtroom but also by standing alongside ordinary people facing difficult legal and social problems.
Cak Sholeh treated the legal profession as a form of public service. He combined legal knowledge with public advocacy to keep important cases visible. The slogan “No Viral No Justice” became inseparable from his name and work.
His long journey has now ended. (aan/mzm)
Indonesian Version:
Cak Sholeh Advokat No Viral No Justice Tutup Usia Usai Berjuang Lawan Penyakit Autoimun
