Jakarta, en.SERU.co.id – Two Indonesian citizens have been named suspects over social media posts and comments related to President Prabowo Subianto’s statements about Iran’s nuclear weapons, drawing sharp criticism from police oversight bodies and human rights groups.
The West Java Police Cybercrime Directorate arrested AYP, 49, and AF, 40. Investigators allege AYP created, edited and shared content on Threads. AF is accused of writing a comment judged provocative under the original post.
Police received a complaint on 4 August 2026 and opened an investigation. West Java Police spokesperson Senior Commissioner Hendra Rochmawan said one comment that drew particular attention came from the account @basterap. It read roughly:
“No need to overcomplicate things. Just wait for the procession. His head will appear and then just take care of it.”
The complainant, identified only as FSS, claimed the post and comment were provocative, risked disturbing public order and threatened national unity.
Kompolnas Reminds Police of Constitutional Court Ruling
Choirul Anam of the National Police Commission (Kompolnas) urged officers not to ignore Constitutional Court rulings on digital expression. He stressed that online controversy cannot automatically justify criminal charges.
“The dynamics of the digital space differ from the physical world. Noise or debate on social media should not automatically become grounds for prosecution. Police action must still follow the law,” Anam said.
He acknowledged clear limits exist when content crosses into defamation, hate propaganda or incitement to violence, but warned against treating every online controversy as a criminal matter.
“Propaganda that calls for violence is prohibited under human rights standards. But the police should not use every social media controversy as an automatic trigger for law enforcement,” he added.
Amnesty: Criticizing the Government Is Not Automatically a Crime
Usman Hamid, executive director of Amnesty International Indonesia, argued that claims the posts could “threaten the unity of the nation” or “create unrest” are insufficient grounds for criminal charges.
“The Constitutional Court has set clear limits on the use of the Electronic Information and Transactions Law in digital expression cases. It has also restricted who can file defamation complaints. On what basis did police pursue a report from someone who felt harmed by a post that was not even directed at them?” Hamid asked.
He emphasized that criticism of state officials, including the president, remains protected speech as long as it does not involve violence. Criminal law, he said, must not be used to silence citizens expressing views on social media.
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SAFEnet: No Double Standards
Nenden Sekar Arum of the Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet) also criticized the decision to name the two as suspects.
“This reflects disappointment with how the president is performing. It does not indicate any intention to mobilize people for violence,” she said.
She found it hard to imagine two ordinary civilians working in Cimahi suddenly having the capacity or agenda to organize mass action solely through social media posts. The larger issue, she argued, is the double standard in how public expression is policed.
“The content posted by the two suspects related to Prabowo’s remarks on Iran’s nuclear weapons. If a public official’s statement can trigger legal consequences for citizens, then state officials should not be immune from accountability either,” Nenden said.
Officials command far greater influence, resources and political support than ordinary citizens, so the law on public expression must be applied consistently.
Presidential Palace: Ask the Police
The presidential palace declined to comment in detail. State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi simply referred questions to the police: “Ask the police about that.” (aan/mzm)
Indonesian Version:
