27 Men Rape Teenager in Sampang, KPAI Urges Immediate Arrest of All Perpetrators
A 15-year-old girl in Sampang, East Java, was raped by 27 men. The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) has strongly condemned the sexual violence and urged the police not to delay justice by immediately arresting the perpetrators.
KPAI Commissioner Sylvana Apituley stated on Sunday (12/7/2026) that the police should not compromise with the fugitives by giving them time to surrender before issuing a wanted list. She described such a delay as a normalisation of delayed justice, which is unacceptable given the prevalence of sexual violence against children. Sylvana urged the police to immediately place the 15 perpetrators still at large on the Wanted List (DPO) and to apply the Sexual Violence Crime Law in the investigation.
She argued that waiting for perpetrators to surrender and postponing the DPO status gives them time to flee further, destroy evidence, or even repeat their crimes. She also called for a one-third increase in the criminal penalty because the crime was committed as a gang rape against a child.
KPAI further urged the Office of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection to work proactively with the Witness and Victim Protection Agency to provide recovery and protection services for the victim and her family, including facilitating a safe house. This is particularly crucial as the 15 perpetrators still at large could add to the victim’s trauma and threaten her safety, as well as to prevent the perpetrators’ families from seeking an out-of-court settlement or intimidating the victim and her family.
The case came to light after the victim and her family reported it to the police. Sampang Police Chief AKBP Hartono said the assaults occurred over a four-month period between February and May 2026, around 9 p.m. Western Indonesia Time, at three different locations. The family reported the case on 29 June 2026 after the victim suffered severe trauma. Following an investigation, police named 27 men as suspects. Twelve have been arrested, while 15 remain at large. Police have given the fugitives a three-day ultimatum to surrender before a Wanted List is issued and firm, measured action is taken.