Indonesia arrests police chief and top officers for allegedly wiretapping president

Indonesian authorities detained three senior police officers on November 3, 2026, including Presidential Chief of Staff Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo, for allegedly wiretapping President Prabowo Subianto, ministers, and civil society figures since 2025. Suspects face electronic crime charges for entering unauthorized numbers into surveillance systems and attempting to erase records. Legal Affairs Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra confirmed no motive or treason evidence has been established in the early-stage probe.

Evidence collected and legal charges

• ▪Police investigators seized 11 mobile phones, an iPad, and four flash drives as physical evidence during the unauthorized wiretapping investigation into President Prabowo Subianto
• ▪Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo and two other suspects face charges under Articles 258 and 332 of Indonesia's Criminal Code and Article 32 of the Electronic Information and Transactions Law, carrying potential prison sentences up to 10 years

Background of Listyo Sigit Prabowo

• ▪Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo served as Indonesia's national police chief until last month, when President Prabowo Subianto removed him from the police leadership role and appointed him presidential chief of staff
• ▪Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo previously served as a presidential police aide-de-camp under former President Joko Widodo before his appointment as national police chief in 2021