Indonesian Authorities Deploy 6,770 Troops for Ex-President's Court Appearance
The security detail accompanies Joko Widodo's defamation trial while three generals face detention over a state phone-tapping scandal.
By Fernando Rojas ·
Indonesian officials dispatched 6,770 police officers and military personnel to Jakarta on Thursday to secure the court appearance of former President Joko Widodo. The deployment marks the latest escalation in a security buildup that has placed more than 20,000 active personnel in the capital since the recent arrests of senior military leaders.
Widodo appeared at the Jakarta Eastern District Court to face a defamation charge stemming from allegations that he used a fake university diploma. This legal proceeding is distinct from the ongoing wiretapping investigation, although the two matters have coincided to create a tense political atmosphere in the capital.
The wiretapping scandal has led to the detention of three high-ranking generals. Among them is General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, who served as the national police chief during Widodo's term and was appointed chief of staff to current President Prabowo Subianto last month. The police assert that the unauthorized interceptions took place between 2025 and 2026, a period when Prabowo held office and Listyo commanded the national police.
Other detainees include Inspector General Ahrie Sonta Nasution, head of the National Police Legal Division, and Inspector General Eko Hadi Santoso, a principal instructor at the National Police Education and Training Institute. Accusations suggest that surveillance extended beyond the president to include cabinet members, politicians, journalists, civil society leaders, and business executives.
The presidential palace characterized the wiretapping as an act of treason that endangered state interests, though it did not explicitly link the troop deployment to the case. Alfian Nurrizal, the chief of police for Jakarta Eastern, described the large security presence as a precautionary measure against potential risks and large crowds.
Nurrizal stated on Thursday that the actual deployment levels would adjust based on conditions at the courthouse. Despite the large number of troops mobilized, visible military presence on the streets has remained low, with authorities indicating that most forces are held in reserve at barracks and other facilities.
Hundreds of supporters greeted Widodo at the courthouse entrance on Thursday morning, chanting messages of encouragement as he entered the building. The former president has not been implicated in the wiretapping investigation, but his presence in the spotlight has intensified public scrutiny of the security apparatus.
