{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1694449,
        "msgid": "citizens-can-refuse-police-searches-without-a-warrant-1776865857",
        "date": "2026-04-22 19:59:21",
        "title": "Citizens Can Refuse Police Searches Without a Warrant",
        "author": "Muhammad Isa Bustomi",
        "source": "KOMPAS",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Legal",
        "summary": "Legal expert Abdul Fickar Hadjar from Trisakti University has stated that Indonesian citizens have the right to refuse police searches unless officers present a clear warrant, emphasising that public reports alone do not justify such coercive actions. This comes in the context of a recent incident in West Jakarta's Daan Mogot area, where plainclothes police stopped a vehicle suspected of drug transactions without initially showing authorisation, leading to tensions. The case underscores the importance of procedural adherence by law enforcement to protect civil liberties while investigating crimes.",
        "content": "<p>Legal expert in criminal law from Trisakti University, Abdul Fickar\nHadjar, has emphasised that searches conducted by police officers cannot\nbe carried out legally without a clear warrant. He stated that citizens\nhave the right to refuse if the police perform a search without showing\nofficial documents as the basis for the action in the field. \u201cYes,\ncitizens may refuse if the police do not show their assignment letter,\u201d\nFickar told Kompas.com on Wednesday (22\/4\/2026). According to Abdul\nFickar, the police cannot conduct searches arbitrarily, even if prompted\nby public reports. \u201cThe police must not recklessly search citizens\u2019\nvehicles or those of the public,\u201d said Abdul Fickar. However, he added\nthat public reports can indeed serve as the initial gateway for\ninvestigations. Nevertheless, such reports are not sufficient as the\nsole basis for coercive actions like searches. In the Daan Mogot case, a\nvideo had previously circulated showing several men in civilian clothes\nstopping a vehicle in the Cengkareng area, West Jakarta. The action\ntemporarily caused tension between the driver and the officers in the\nfield. Later, Grogol Petamburan Police Sector Chief AKP Reza Aditya\nconfirmed that the men were police personnel following up on a public\nreport regarding suspected drug transactions. \u201cIndeed, they were from\nour personnel, receiving a report from the public that there was\nsuspicion of a drug transaction,\u201d said Reza. He explained that the\nvehicle had been under surveillance since entering the Cengkareng area\nbefore being intercepted in the Pesing area.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/citizens-can-refuse-police-searches-without-a-warrant-1776865857",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}