The legal implications of the case are significant, as the suspects are being investigated under Article 258 of Indonesia’s recently enacted Criminal Code. This statute prohibits the unlawful interception, recording, diversion, alteration, obstruction, or monitoring of non-public electronic communications. Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra stated that investigators have not found indications of treason in the case, despite initial commentary from the presidential office suggesting the acts might “tendency towards acts that endanger state interests.” Mahendra confirmed that the suspects would be charged under the criminal code provision for illegal interception rather than treason statutes.
Procedural Status and Allegations
Asep Safrudin, head of the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim), announced on Tuesday that the three suspects were detained at the National Police headquarters detention center. The individuals identified are:
- General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, the former National Police Chief and current Presidential Chief of Staff.
- Inspector General Ahrie Sonta Nasution, head of the National Police Legal Division.
- Inspector General Eko Hadi Santoso, a senior instructor at the National Police Education and Training Institute.
Police allege that between 2025 and 2026, the suspects ordered wiretaps on the telephone numbers of the president, state officials, political figures, media figures, community leaders, NGO activists, and businesspeople. According to Safrudin, these operations were conducted “without any legal basis or without any investigative or inquiry process in accordance with applicable laws.” The investigations revealed that several telephone numbers were entered into the Lawful Interception Management System (LIMS) without proper verification, violating a 2010 National Police regulation that governs such procedures.
Investigators further allege that the suspects ordered the deletion of files containing intercepted communications from the LIMS computer system recently, allegedly to erase traces of the operation. Evidence seized in the inquiry includes 11 mobile phones, an iPad, and four flash drives. Police have questioned 10 witnesses and three expert witnesses to date.
Official Responses and Political Context
Presidential spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi stated on Wednesday that the government views the actions as potentially falling into a category “tending towards treason,” citing dangers to state interests and the safety of the nation’s leadership, including the head of state. However, this characterization contrasts with the legal assessment provided by Minister Mahendra, who explicitly stated no treason indications were found. Neither the president nor the three suspects have responded publicly to the specific wiretapping allegations, and a spokesperson for the Presidential Chief of Staff’s office could not be reached for comment.
The timing of the arrests and dismissal has coincided with a significant military deployment. The Indonesian military deployed more than 20,000 soldiers to Jakarta, including marine, navy, and training center personnel. Armed forces spokesperson Major-General Muhammad Nas described the troop movement as standard procedure for maintaining national security and territorial integrity, stating the military “must always be prepared to protect the entire nation.” He did not explicitly link the deployment to the police arrests, though the coincidence has drawn attention.
Subject Backgrounds
Listyo Sigit Prabowo served as the Chief of the National Police for five years before transitioning to the role of Presidential Chief of Staff last month. Inspector General Ahrie Sonta Nasution, head of the police legal division, holds a doctoral degree in law and police science and has a career spanning operations, criminal investigations, and narcotics enforcement. Inspector General Eko Hadi Santoso, who recently took up his position as a senior instructor in October 2026, previously led Bareskrim’s Directorate of Narcotics Crimes. His career has focused largely on criminal investigations and counterterrorism, and he was appointed to the narcotics directorate by Listyo in March 2025.
Legal Outlook
The case remains in the investigation phase. Police have stated that the inquiry is ongoing and that the motive behind the alleged wiretapping has not yet been determined. Under Indonesian law, the detention of these high-ranking officers represents a significant internal oversight action. The next formal steps will likely involve the completion of the investigative file and the decision to refer the case to prosecutors for trial, where the application of Article 258 of the new Criminal Code will be tested in a court of law. The dismissal of Listyo from his civilian role removes him from the chain of command but does not affect the criminal proceedings against him as a suspect.
