Intan Setiawanty, Jakarta – A soldier from the Indonesian National Military (TNI) forcibly confiscated a Tempo journalist's mobile phone and demanded the deletion of photos showing military personnel on duty at the Attorney General's Office (AGO) complex in South Jakarta on Thursday, July 9, 2026.
The incident unfolded while the journalist was documenting the situation behind the main building, near the Adhyaksa Cafe.
Two soldiers holding the rank of Praka (Chief Private) approached the Tempo journalist shortly after the pictures were taken. They demanded the journalist's phone, scrutinized the gallery, and ordered the deletion of all images featuring TNI personnel, including those in the trash folder.
The journalist explained that the photos were taken in the line of duty to report on the deployment of approximately one platoon of TNI soldiers guarding the AGO. The reporter also requested an interview with the two soldiers. However, the request was flatly denied. "An interview? Not possible, we're not interested," one of the soldiers said.
In an audio recording obtained by Tempo, the two soldiers can be heard repeatedly demanding confirmation that the photos had indeed been erased. "Just check, Mas. Please check it first, Mas. It's feared that they haven't been deleted," one of them said.
Under pressure from the two soldiers, the journalist then deleted the images. They further ordered the reporter to open the phone's trash folder to ensure all files were permanently removed.
Several other TNI personnel at the scene witnessed the incident. A Tempo intern was also present during the confrontation.
According to Tempo's observations, about one platoon of soldiers was still stationed at the Attorney General's Office complex on Thursday afternoon. They were decked out in full uniform and armed with rifles. They congregated in the courtyard behind the main building, even as regular operations for AGO employees proceeded as normal.
Once the soldiers verified that the photos were gone, the tension during the conversation gradually eased. One of the soldiers mentioned they had been deployed since the early hours of the morning. "We've been on standby since two in the morning until now," he said.
Tempo has sought confirmation from the head of the TNI Information Center regarding the soldiers' actions against a journalist performing their professional duties. Inquiries were also sent to the Attorney General's Office concerning the security protocols within the complex. As of press time, neither institution has responded.
The confrontation occurred just a day after dozens of TNI soldiers were deployed to guard the residence of the Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes, Febrie Adriansyah, on Jalan Radio I, Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta. The head of the TNI Information Center, Brigadier General Muhammad Nas, stated that the security detail was requested by the AGO as part of inter-agency cooperation, aligning with Presidential Regulation No. 66/2025 on state protection for prosecutors.
"The security measure is entirely unrelated to any searches conducted by police investigators," Nas said.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2112816/tni-soldier-seizes-tempo-journalists-phone-at-ag