Jakarta protesters clash with police over demands for transparency in former prosecutor corruption case

JAKARTA, INDONESIA — A protest outside Indonesia's Attorney General's Office (AGO) in South Jakarta turned chaotic on Wednesday afternoon after demonstrators burned tyres, briefly blocked a major road and clashed with police while demanding greater transparency over a case involving former Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes (Jampidsus) Febrie Adriansyah.

The case involving Febrie Adriansyah has drawn public attention following allegations surrounding the handling of a corruption investigation involving senior officials and other parties. Febrie, who previously led the AGO's Special Crimes Division, became a focus of scrutiny after his name was linked to a case that prompted calls from civil society groups and activists for greater transparency in the law enforcement process.

The investigation gained further attention after authorities seized assets allegedly linked to the case, including 74 kilograms of gold bullion, millions of US and Singapore dollars, and other valuables with a combined estimated value of around Rp476 billion (approximately US$28 million).

The seizure was carried out during searches connected to an investigation involving former senior officials, prompting further calls from activists and civil society groups for a transparent legal process.

The demonstration was organised by the National Legal Intellectual Network (Jaringan Intelektual Hukum Nasional) and took place in front of the AGO headquarters on Jalan Panglima Polim.

The protest featured several symbolic actions. Participants burned tyres outside the entrance to the AGO complex, while a separate group of students affiliated with the Student Executive Board (BEM) of the Islamic University of Jakarta (UIJ) brought a septic tank truck to the site and erected a tent as part of a campaign urging law enforcement authorities to follow up allegations involving former Jampidsus Febrie Adriansyah.

The demonstration also drew support from members of the public. As the protest continued, some individuals provided food and drinks for demonstrators, with social media posts showing donations being delivered to the protest site as a gesture of support. Images and videos of the food distribution were subsequently shared online by participants and supporters.

According to reports from the scene, tensions escalated at around 3.30pm local time when police officers moved to extinguish the burning tyres and secure several protest materials, including banners that demonstrators had intended to burn.

The situation deteriorated as protesters attempted to prevent officers from removing the items. Demonstrators and police were involved in pushing and shoving, while several protesters were seen throwing bottles towards security personnel.

The protesters also briefly blocked a section of Jalan Panglima Polim leading towards the Senayan area of Jakarta. The road blockade caused traffic congestion in the vicinity before police requested that demonstrators reopen the route to allow vehicles to pass.

During the protest, demonstrators urged Indonesian law enforcement authorities to publicly disclose the legal status of Febrie Adriansyah, who previously served as the country's Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes.

The demonstrators argued that greater transparency was needed regarding the handling of a case that has drawn public attention and involved the name of the former senior prosecutor.

Riswan Siahaan, Director of the National Legal Intellectual Network, said the group had gathered to convey public concerns about the investigation.

"We hope the Attorney General will immediately disclose and present former Jampidsus Febrie to the public so that people are not left wondering. We strongly hope there will be no selective application of the law," Riswan said during his speech.

He said public disclosure was necessary to ensure confidence in the legal process and to prevent perceptions that different standards were being applied in law enforcement.

Riswan also called on Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to participate in investigating the matter so that the process could proceed in an open and independent manner.

According to him, a comprehensive investigation could potentially reveal the involvement of additional individuals.

"For those involved besides Don Ritto and former Jampidsus Febrie, we believe that if this case is exposed openly and investigated thoroughly, there will certainly be new suspects," he said.

The protest continued into Thursday, 23 July, with hundreds of demonstrators remaining outside the Attorney General's Office compound in South Jakarta.

Protesters established an overnight encampment at the site, setting up camping tents and lighting bonfires as they maintained pressure on law enforcement authorities. The demonstrators said they would continue their action while awaiting a response to their demands.

Participants called for a transparent and impartial resolution of the alleged corruption case involving former Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes Febrie Adriansyah. They urged authorities to complete the investigation openly and without selective enforcement.

While the protest received comparatively limited coverage in major Indonesian news outlets relative to the prominence of the Febrie Adriansyah case itself, videos recorded by protesters and other social media users circulated online, providing additional footage of the demonstration, the tyre-burning action, the septic tank truck brought to the site, the distribution of donated food, and the confrontation between demonstrators and police.

No immediate reports were issued regarding injuries or arrests following the unrest. Authorities had not publicly responded to the protesters' demands at the time of reporting.