Rights Coalition Calls for Release of Two Youth Activists Held in Jakarta
Kabarsaji.com – A coalition of civil society organizations is pressing the Jakarta Metropolitan Police to free two youth activists, identified as R and Z, and end the legal case filed against them after their online activity connected to the Independent Campus Committee.
The Advocacy Team for Democracy, known as TAUD, says the arrests raise serious concerns about the ability of young people to criticize public issues and organize safely through digital platforms. R and Z were taken into custody before a demonstration near the Parliament Complex in Central Jakarta on August 27, 2026.
Both activists are being held at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police detention facility operated by the Directorate of Detainee Care and Evidence. TAUD has asked police to suspend their detention while legal efforts continue.
Concerns Over Digital Expression
Balqis Zakkiyyah, a TAUD representative affiliated with the digital rights organization SAFEnet, said the prosecution of the two activists should never have moved forward. She argued that criticism and participation in public debate must remain protected, including when they take place online.
“Civil society and young people have the right to express themselves safely in digital spaces and to criticize what is happening,” Balqis told reporters at Jakarta Metropolitan Police headquarters on Wednesday, September 16.
TAUD says the case originated from a Type A police report that it believes stemmed from cyber patrol operations. The activists were arrested in connection with digital activity linked to the Independent Campus Committee’s social media accounts.
Those accounts have regularly addressed issues affecting Aceh, campus life, democratic conditions and human rights. The coalition maintains that public discussion of such subjects should not by itself lead to criminal action.
Balqis warned that the case could have broader consequences beyond R and Z. In her view, pursuing young people for critical online activity risks creating a chilling effect, where students and other citizens become hesitant to discuss public matters, share concerns or participate in civic conversations through social media.
She also questioned why police resources were directed toward the activists while online harms such as fraud, digital violence and doxxing continue to affect internet users. For the coalition, law enforcement in digital spaces should prioritize conduct that causes concrete harm rather than lawful expression and criticism.
Detention Extension Questioned
TAUD has also challenged the decision to keep R and Z in custody after their initial detention period ended. Gema Gita Persada, another representative of the advocacy team, said the Cybercrime Directorate extended the detention by 40 days despite the lack of further questioning.
“As of today, there has been no further examination. So there is no urgency for the police to continue detaining R and Z,” Gita said.
The coalition argues that continued detention should be justified by a clear investigative need. It has filed a formal request seeking suspension of the detention and has called on police to restore what it describes as the activists’ constitutional rights.
“We hope it will be responded to promptly by suspending the detention of our friends R and Z,” Gita said.
The request places the focus on whether investigators require the two activists to remain behind bars while the case proceeds. TAUD’s position is that a suspension would allow R and Z to continue their daily lives while still making themselves available for any necessary legal process.
Arrests Before the Parliament Demonstration
The arrests took place in the wider context of police action ahead of the August 27 protest near the MPR/DPR/DPD complex in Central Jakarta. The Jakarta Metropolitan Police previously said that 65 people had been arrested before the demonstration.
Police alleged that the group intended to disrupt or take over the protest planned outside the parliamentary complex. Of the 65 people detained, 63 were handled by officers from the General Criminal Investigation Directorate.
R and Z were the remaining two people in that total. Their arrests were carried out by the Cybercrime Directorate roughly a week before the August 27 demonstration. Police have alleged that the pair manipulated cyber data so it appeared genuine.
TAUD disputes the basis for pursuing the case and insists that the allegations must be examined alongside the activists’ right to communicate, organize and criticize public conditions online. The coalition’s appeal is not limited to ending detention; it also seeks the dismissal of the legal proceedings entirely.
The case has drawn attention because digital spaces have become central to student organizing and civic participation. Social media accounts can serve as channels for sharing campus concerns, discussing regional developments, promoting demonstrations and raising questions about public policy. When activity on such accounts becomes the subject of criminal investigation, the consequences can extend to the wider community of people who use the internet for civic engagement.
For TAUD and its allied groups, the immediate issue is the release of R and Z. More broadly, they are urging law enforcement authorities to ensure that cybercrime enforcement does not undermine legitimate public expression or turn online criticism into grounds for detention.
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