Indonesia's former police chief and presidential chief of staff, General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, has been arrested on suspicion of wiretapping President Prabowo Subianto, and the presidential palace has accused him and three other generals of treason. Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has tendered his resignation, and more than 20,000 troops have been deployed in Jakarta.
The development is widely seen as heralding a showdown between the president and his rival-turned-ally, ex-President Joko Widodo. Listyo, widely seen as Widodo's man, is part of the 'Solo Gang' from Widodo's hometown of Surakarta. Police allege that the president was among some 6,000 people illegally wiretapped from 2025 until last month. Prabowo had apparently suspected he was being tapped for more than a year.
The government suspects the arrested men of helping to foster the protests that have rocked the government over the past two years. Police investigators announced that neither Widodo nor his son, Vice President Gibran, was on the list of those wiretapped.
Gibran's tendered resignation comes amid a growing push to impeach him. The Supreme Court ruled in October that he had failed to properly prove his high school graduation, a requirement to run for the vice presidency.
When asked about Listyo's arrest and the Supreme Court ruling against Gibran, Widodo limited his responses to platitudes about respecting the legal process. Gibran has also confined himself to broad statements about respecting legal processes. Widodo has been maneuvering to shore up his position, effectively taking over the Indonesian Solidarity Party, of which his other son Kaesang Pangarep is general chair.
In 2022, Reuters revealed that Pegasus spyware, created by Israeli cyber-intelligence firm NSO Group, had been used in the country since 2018 to target politicians and other prominent figures. Little action was taken, and wiretap regulations remain messy. Indonesia is looking at tightening legal controls on wiretapping.
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12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
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- SupportedThe wiretap scandal is deepening as Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka tenders his resignation.Foreign Policy: “Shortly after this newsletter was finalized, it was announced vice-president Gibran Rakabuming Raka had tendered his resignation. The dramatic development comes amidst a growing swell to impeach him, and a dramatic wiretap scandal covered below.”
- SupportedFormer police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo was arrested on suspicion of spying on President Prabowo Subianto.Foreign Policy: “Indonesia’s former chief of police and Presidential Chief of Staff Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo and two other police generals were arrested on suspicion of wiretapping President Prabowo Subianto.”
- SupportedMore than 20,000 troops were deployed in Jakarta.Foreign Policy: “That same day, the government flooded Jakarta with more than 20,000 troops.”
- SupportedThe presidential palace accused Listyo and three other generals of treason.Foreign Policy: “The presidential palace has accused the men, as well as a fourth police general, of treason, which can carry the death penalty.”
- SupportedThe development is widely seen as heralding a showdown between the president and his rival-turned-ally, former President Joko Widodo.Foreign Policy: “The development is widely seen as heralding a showdown between the president and his rival-turned-ally, former President Joko Widodo, whose son Gibran Rakabuming Raka serves as vice president.”
- SupportedListyo is widely seen as Widodo’s man and is part of the ‘Solo Gang’ from Widodo’s hometown of Surakarta.Foreign Policy: “Listyo is widely seen as Widodo’s man and is part of the “Solo Gang,” a group of officials from Widodo’s hometown of Surakarta”
- SupportedPolice alleged that Prabowo was among some 6,000 people illegally wiretapped from 2025 until last month.Foreign Policy: “Police alleged the president was one of some 6,000 people—including top politicians, businesspeople, journalists, and activists—illegally surveilled from 2025 until last month.”
- Partly supportedThe government suspects the arrested men of helping to foster the protests that have rocked the government over the past two years.Foreign Policy: “The government reportedly suspects them of helping foster protests, which have rocked the government over the past two years.”
- SupportedPolice investigators announced that neither Widodo nor his son Gibran was on the wiretap list.Foreign Policy: “Police investigators have rather pointedly announced that neither Widodo nor his son were on the list of those wiretapped.”
- SupportedThe Supreme Court ruled in October that Gibran had failed to properly prove he had graduated high school, a requirement for running for vice president.Foreign Policy: “The Supreme Court ruled in October that he had failed to properly prove he had graduated high school, which is a requirement to run for the vice presidency”
- SupportedIn 2022, Reuters revealed that Pegasus spyware had been used in Indonesia since 2018 to target politicians and other prominent figures.Foreign Policy: “In 2022, Reuters revealed that Pegasus spyware, created by Israeli cyber-intelligence firm NSO Group, had been used in Indonesia since 2018 to target politicians and other prominent figures.”
- SupportedIndonesia is looking at tightening legal controls on wiretapping.Foreign Policy: “Another impact is that Indonesia is looking at tightening legal controls on wiretapping.”
