Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – The recent halal bihalal or post-Eid gathering of political analysts, titled "Sebelum Pengamat Ditertibkan" (before observers are put in order), has triggered a wave of legal backlashes. The forum, which transformed into an open stage for criticism against Prabowo Subianto's administration, has now landed its speakers in hot water with law enforcement.
One of the speakers, Islah Bahrawi, revealed that multiple participants who took the stage are now facing police reports. "The people who spoke there have all been summoned by the police," Islah stated on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
Islah himself is dealing with a police report for alleged incitement stemming from his remarks at the forum. The complainant accuses him of spreading inflammatory rhetoric that incites public criminal behavior or violence. However, Islah defended his statements as legitimate criticism.
"We just wanted to give voice to the unspoken fears of the people," said the Executive Director of the Indonesian Moderate Network.
Islah's legal counsel, Tegar Putuhena, confirmed that his client was reported for alleged violations of Article 160 of the Criminal Code. "The reports were filed by several parties, though we don't know who," Tegar said on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
Prior to Islah's case, the Jakarta Metropolitan Police had already summoned Saiful Mujani, the founder of Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting. Investigators questioned him over similar allegations of incitement at the same event.
Saiful's attorney, Todung Mulya Lubis, expressed hope that the police would drop the legal proceedings against his client. He argued that Saiful's remarks fell strictly within the boundaries of free speech and bore no elements of incitement or treason.
The comment that landed Saiful in controversy revolved around his perspective on saving Indonesia's future. During the discussion, Saiful suggested that removing Prabowo from his government position was necessary to save Indonesia.
In addition to Islah and Saiful, constitutional law expert Feri Amsari was also reported to the authorities. The Andalas University academic faces allegations of public incitement and the dissemination of fake news.
During the panel, Feri contended that Indonesia has yet to achieve genuine food self-sufficiency. He argued that if the administration claims otherwise, officials must prove it with transparent data.
The Jakarta Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Grand Commissioner Budi Hermanto, stated that authorities are still looking into the reports. "We will investigate the facts of these statements," Budi said on Friday, April 17, 2026.
– Hammam Izzuddin and Oyuk Ivani Siagian contributed to this article
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2107842/state-observers-face-police-over-prabowo-criticis