Indonesian police detain critics of former President Joko Widodo

Roy Suryo and Tifauzia Tyassuma, also known as Dr. Tifa, present their book Jokowi’s White Paper, which alleges the falsification of President Joko Widodo’s diploma. (Istimewa)

Roy Suryo and Tifauzia Tyassuma were formally detained by the Indonesian Police on June 19 on charges of slander and defamation against Indonesia’s former President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). The case began in March 2025, when Roy, Tifa and Rismon Hasiholan Sianipar vocally questioned the authenticity of the educational documents and diplomas of of Jokowi and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

Following these accusations, some pro-Jokowi volunteers reported Roy and his counterparts to the Jakarta Metropolitan Police for further investigation. After the investigation rolled over, the metropolitan police named Roy, Tifa and Rismon as suspects in November 2025.

Their former ally, Rismon, later changed course. After being invited by Vice President Gibran Rakabuming to his palace on March 13, he conducted a digital forensic review and reversed his stance, declaring the authenticity of his diploma. He then apologised to Jokowi and Gibran for his errors, and was subsequently granted a Case Termination Order (SP3) in April.

In early June, police investigators completed their examination of the evidence and expert witness testimony, submitting the case files to the prosecution service. The Jakarta High Prosecution Office (Kejati) confirmed that the case files for the fake diploma investigation were complete and ready for trial.

The arrests drew criticism from Refly Harun, the defendants’ lawyer. He asked, “what if the diploma is truly fake? Moreover, the fake diploma hunting team has already reported several parties suspected of being involved in the production process. So, this is still in the process of proving that our client is not necessarily wrong. I am 99.9% certain that the diploma is fake”.

However, the Jakarta Metropolitan Police dismissed these criticisms, arguing that the police had conducted a thorough investigation. The inquiry involved 94 witnesses and 26 experts from various disciplines, as well as forensic tests at an internationally certified laboratory centre to prove the digital evidence.

Investigators subsequently moved to forcibly detain Roy and Tifa at their respective residences, transferring them to police custody for detention and health checks. Both defendants reportedly suffer from congenital diseases, requiring medical treatment at the police hospital.

Following the arrests, lawyers and supporters are calling for a suspension of their detention, keeping the case firmly in the public eye.

This high-profile case has lingered in Indonesian public discourse for over a year. While there are so many claims and counterclaims, Jokowi has never once displayed his diploma for public scrutiny. The arrests of both Roy and Tifa have fuelled strong suspicions of political interference, with critics pointing to the close relations between the former president and the National Police.