Three officers detained
Speaking to reporters in Jakarta, House Commission III Chairman Habiburokhman said the case should be left to the authorities. "This step is part of the legal mechanism, which we must hand over completely to the authorized law enforcement," he said.
The National Police's Criminal Investigation Agency, known as Bareskrim, has named three suspects in its inquiry into alleged illegal wiretapping, unauthorized access to data and deletion of electronic records during 2025 and 2026. Bareskrim Chief Commissioner General Asep Safrudin said the officers were detained at National Police headquarters after investigators interviewed witnesses and seized evidence.
Police released only the initials LSP, ASN and EH. Media reports published November 3-4 identified them as General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, the presidential chief of staff and former National Police chief; Inspector General Ahrie Sonta Nasution, who heads the National Police's legal division; and Inspector General Eko Hadi Santoso, a senior instructor at the National Police Education and Training Institute.
A fourth person, identified as SU, is being questioned as a witness, not as a suspect, Safrudin said.
Alleged use of the interception system
According to police, several phone numbers were added to the Lawful Interception Management System (LIMS) without verification. Investigators also allege that the suspects recently directed the deletion of intercepted communications stored in the system to hide evidence of the wiretapping.
Safrudin said investigators had interviewed 10 witnesses and three expert witnesses. The evidence seized included 11 mobile phones, an iPad and four flash drives.
President Prabowo was told he was among the alleged targets, according to Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra. Yusril said National Police Chief Suyudi Ario Seto briefed the president because allegations involving surveillance of the president and ministers were a serious matter of national interest.
Criminal charges, but no indication of treason
The charges carry a maximum prison term of 10 years under Article 258 of Indonesia's Criminal Code if the suspects are convicted. Police and the coordinating minister said the suspects also face charges under Article 332 of the code, punishable by up to six years, and Article 32 of the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law, punishable by up to eight years.
Yusril said on November 3 that there was no indication of treason in the case. He said the charges were confined to illegal surveillance and interception under the Criminal Code, known as KUHP, and the ITE Law.
Political concerns and an earlier surveillance case
The Jakarta Post reported on November 4 that authorities were trying to play down an emerging scandal that could split Indonesia's governing coalition. The newspaper described the alleged surveillance over the past year as targeting politically exposed individuals.
A separate case involving an Indonesian president's phone became public in 2013 and caused a diplomatic uproar. According to documents leaked by National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden, Australian intelligence had tried in 2009 to monitor the mobile phone of then-President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
