5 Revelations in the Indictment of Dr Tifa for Defaming Jokowi Over Diploma

The trial of Tifauzia Tyassuma, alias Dr Tifa, regarding allegations of a fake diploma belonging to Indonesia’s 7th President, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), has commenced. She is charged with criminal defamation and slander against Jokowi over the accusations. The first hearing for Dr Tifa was held at the East Jakarta District Court on Thursday (2/7). Dr Tifa is alleged to have used social media to disseminate information claiming Jokowi’s diploma was fake during his time in office. Dr Tifa rejected an offer to pursue a peaceful resolution regarding the charges. Jokowi himself is reportedly ready to attend the subsequent trial and present his original diploma.

Here are 5 things revealed in Dr Tifa’s indictment:

1. Dr Tifa Charged with Defamation and Slander

The case began on 26 March 2025, when witness and Jokowi’s aide-de-camp, Syarif Muhammad Fitriansyah, on Jalan HR Rasuna Said, Kuningan, South Jakarta, informed and showed Jokowi three social media posts that attacked his honour or good name. Tifa accused Jokowi’s Bachelor’s degree (S-1) diploma of being fake. “While collecting these posts, on 14 April, Jokowi’s Legal Team held a press conference essentially stating that the accusations regarding Jokowi’s S-1 diploma were untrue and highly misleading,” the prosecutor stated in court on Thursday (2/7/2026). “Jokowi’s S-1 diploma exists, is genuine, and has been clearly confirmed by Gadjah Mada University and the relevant authorities. The Legal Team also reminded the public not to spread accusations and false news claiming Jokowi’s S-1 diploma is fake,” the prosecutor continued.

Furthermore, the prosecutor said Dr Tifa alleged several irregularities in Jokowi’s diploma, ranging from the cover text, graduation photo, UGM alumni book, to Jokowi mentioning the late Professor Achmad Soemitro as his academic supervisor. In response, Jokowi asked Syarif and his legal team to collect the social media posts. He considered the posts to have attacked his honour and good name. “That among the 28 social media posts viewed by witness Joko Widodo, there were five social media posts containing the defendant’s actions which essentially accused Joko Widodo’s S1 diploma of being fake,” the prosecutor said.

The prosecutor stated that Jokowi was registered as a student of the Faculty of Forestry at UGM, having been registered on 28 July 1980. UGM subsequently issued forestry S1 diploma number 1120 dated 5 November 1985 in the name of Joko Widodo. “As a result of the defendant’s actions, the witness suffered immaterial loss, namely the tarnishing of the witness’s personal good name,” the prosecutor said. The prosecutor stated that despite this, Dr Tifa continued to accuse Jokowi’s diploma of being fake. These statements were spread via social media and talk shows, yet there was no valid proof. “Thus, the defendant’s actions constitute an attack on the honour of witness Joko Widodo using information technology means,” the prosecutor said.

For her actions, Tifa was charged with a primary indictment under Article 434 paragraph 1 in conjunction with Article 441 paragraph 1 in conjunction with Article 126 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code. The subsidiary indictment is under Article 433 paragraph 1 in conjunction with Article 441 paragraph 1 in conjunction with Article 126 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code. Tifa was also charged with a second primary indictment under Article 434 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code, and a second subsidiary indictment under Article 310 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code or Article 35 in conjunction with Article 51 paragraph (1) and/or Article 32 paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 48 paragraph (1) of Law Number 11 of 2008 concerning Electronic Information and Transactions in conjunction with Article 126 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code, or Article 32 in conjunction with Article 48 paragraph 1 of the ITE Law in conjunction with Article 126 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.

2. Jokowi Suffered Material Loss

The public prosecutor stated that the actions of Tifauzia Tyasumma, alias Dr Tifa, caused harm to Joko Widodo by accusing him of using a fake diploma. The prosecutor said Jokowi suffered immaterial loss and felt humiliated. “Witness Joko Widodo felt he was insulted as deeply as possible and degraded as low as possible, and there were even parties who joined in accusing the witness,” the prosecutor said in the indictment at the East Jakarta District Court on Thursday (2/7). The prosecutor explained that Jokowi learned of the alleged defamation from social media posts. He heard Dr Tifa accusing Jokowi’s S1 diploma of being fake. Jokowi then asked his aide and legal team to collect evidence of the social media posts. There were five posts he considered to have attacked his dignity and honour.

On the other hand, the prosecutor had obtained evidence stating that Jokowi’s diploma is an authentic document. This was based on the official report of a criminalistic laboratory examination conducted by the Indonesian National Police, which concluded that Jokowi’s diploma was identical to 14 comparison documents. Furthermore, based on the study programme guidebook, UGM had issued forestry bachelor’s diploma number 1120 dated 5 November 1985 in the name of Jokowi. He also completed his studies at UGM. “That the defendant could not prove her accusations and the accusations contradicted what the defendant knew,” the prosecutor said.

3. Dr Tifa Spread Fake Diploma Accusations on Social Media

Defendant Tifauzia Tyassuma, alias Dr Tifa, used social media to spread information accusing Indonesia’s 7th President, Joko Widodo, of using a fake diploma while in office. The prosecutor stated this subsequently shaped public perception as if what Dr Tifa conveyed was the truth. “That the words spoken by the Defendant by means of conveying electronic information and/or electronic documents as if they were authentic data have shaped public perception so that the public believes or is convinced that the S-1 diploma of witness Ir. H. Joko Widodo is fake,” the prosecutor said during the reading of the indictment at the East Jakarta District Court on Thursday (2/7). The prosecutor then gave an example: on 1 April 2025, witness Dian Sandi Utama uploaded a photo of Jokowi’s S1 diploma on social media platform X on the personal account @DianSandiU. The caption read, “For those fussing about the photocopy of Mr @jokowi’s diploma that I uploaded in the thread. So you can be calm during the holiday: here I upload the…”