For decades, Indonesia's police and intelligence agencies have been accused of spying on politicians, journalists, and activists, Now, a widening scandal involving some of the country's most senior police officers has brought those concerns to the heart of government.
Earlier this month, Indonesian police named four senior officers as suspects in an alleged illegal surveillance operation targeting President Prabowo Subianto and other prominent figures.
Former national police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo, who is not related to the president, was among the senior officers arrested. The ex-police chief became the president's chief of staff in October, just weeks before the scandal broke.
Investigators claim that officers intercepted communications without proper authorization in 2025 and 2026 and then tried to delete records of the operation.
Suyudi Ario Seto, the new police chief, told a parliamentary panel this week that the surveillance targeted the president, officials within the presidential palace, ministries, state institutions, lawmakers, political party figures, governors, anti-corruption officials, activists and students.
A parliamentary commission is investigating the motive behind the wiretapping operation and trying to uncover whether other senior figures were involved. Meanwhile, the police have opened an investigation into possible treason-related offenses.
Amnesty International has called for investigations to also determine whether the wiretap operation was used to intimidate government critics and weaken civil liberties.
