Indonesian Police Chief of Staff Arrested Over Wiretapping Scandal

Indonesian authorities arrested the president’s chief of staff on suspicion of treason after officials discovered that the head of state had been wiretapped.

The probe began last week when a police officer provided a tip-off that led investigators to the national police’s electronic surveillance system. Officials state that the interception of communications started in 2025, a period when Listyo Sigit Prabowo served as the national police chief. The investigation determined that the team used the system without securing the required investigation warrants, a procedural failure that forms the basis of the legal case. Authorities confirmed that the targets of the surveillance included President Prabowo Subianto, various politicians, journalists, non-governmental organization representatives, and businesspeople.

Listyo, who was appointed to the role of chief of staff just last month, was taken into custody on Tuesday alongside two senior police officers. A fourth suspect, Slamet Uliandi from the criminal investigation unit, was identified on Thursday evening but was not detained due to poor health following a stroke. Listyo shares a surname with the president but has no familial connection to him. He was removed from his post shortly after his arrest. A presidential spokesperson told reporters on Wednesday that the case could constitute treason because the intercepted sensitive information threatened the nation’s interests and sovereignty. Under Indonesian law, treason carries a penalty of life imprisonment or death, though the country has not executed a prisoner in ten years.

The incident has intensified the divide between President Prabowo and his predecessor, Joko Widodo, known as Jokowi. Jokowi supported Prabowo’s successful 2024 presidential campaign and retains considerable influence in the political sphere. Made Supriatma, a visiting fellow at Singapore's ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, noted that Listyo’s position is traditionally aligned with Jokowi. He suggested that the current events signal the two leaders are moving in different directions. The 2024 election victory relied on an alliance that included Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Jokowi’s eldest son, who now serves as vice president. Since taking office, Prabowo has prioritized his own free school meals program over Jokowi’s legacy project of building the new capital, Nusantara. He has also reshuffled personnel, moving several of Jokowi’s allies into new roles. When asked about the incident after a court session on Thursday, Jokowi said that all parties should respect the ongoing legal process.

The scandal arrives during a period of pressure for Prabowo’s administration. His flagship free meals program is facing funding challenges, parts of the country recently suffered their worst wildfires in a decade, and the stock market is under pressure amid allegations of manipulation. Nicky Fahrizal, a researcher at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Indonesia, described the situation as a country on autopilot. He argued that the government’s actions suggest it is pursuing the interests of individual groups rather than the people. Police chief Suyudi Ario Seto told reporters on Thursday that the current probe is purely a law enforcement matter and unrelated to political rivalries. This is not the first time wiretapping has affected Indonesian leadership. In 2014, devices were found at the official residence of Jokowi when he was governor of Jakarta. Former president Megawati Soekarnoputri also claimed in 2024 that she avoided using her personal mobile phone due to similar concerns.