Indonesian police have detained three senior police generals suspected of illegally wiretapping President Prabowo Subianto and dozens of other prominent figures, authorities announced Tuesday.
Asep Safrudin, head of the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency, stated that the suspects are under investigation for non-procedural or illegal tapping, unauthorized access to electronic systems, and deletion of electronic data.
The detained generals are identified as Presidential Chief of Staff Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo, National Police Legal Division head Insp. Gen. Ahrie Sonta Nasution, and Insp. Gen. Eko Hadi Santoso, a senior instructor at the National Police Education and Training Institute. They are being held at the National Police headquarters detention center.
Safrudin said the alleged wiretapping occurred between 2025 and 2026 and involved numerous individuals, including state officials, political figures, media personalities, community leaders, NGO activists, and businesspeople. The suspects are accused of ordering wiretaps without adhering to established procedures under a 2010 National Police regulation, with several phone numbers reportedly entered into the Lawful Interception Management System (LIMS) without proper verification.
Investigators also allege that the suspects recently ordered the deletion of files containing intercepted communications from the LIMS computer system, reportedly to conceal evidence.
The motive behind the alleged wiretapping remains under investigation. Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra has stated there is no indication of treason in the case.
The suspects could face charges under Indonesia’s new Criminal Code, including Article 258, which prohibits unlawful interception of nonpublic electronic communications and carries a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment. They may also face charges under Article 332 of the Criminal Code and Article 32 of the Electronic Information and Transactions Law, with potential penalties of up to six and eight years in prison, respectively.