Aide Explains Why Jokowi Reported Diploma Case After Leaving Office

AKBP Syarif Firmansyah, an aide to Indonesia’s seventh president, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), testified in the trial of Roy Suryo, who is accused of defaming him over claims about his diploma. Syarif explained why Jokowi reported the case to police only after leaving office.

The hearing was held at the East Jakarta District Court on Wednesday (11 November 2026). Syarif said Jokowi filed a police report over alleged defamation and slander relating to claims that his bachelor’s degree diploma was fake, including its thesis and approval sheet.

“He reported that there had been slander or defamation through allegations that his bachelor’s degree diploma was fake, both the thesis and the approval sheet,” Syarif said.

Syarif said Jokowi had been uncomfortable with the allegations. He said he had reported two YouTube videos and one post on X concerning claims that Jokowi’s diploma was forged.

“In this case, he felt uncomfortable with the accusations we have mentioned, namely those made by the defendant. He was accused of having a fake bachelor’s degree diploma and a fake approval sheet. This was done through visual material, YouTube links and the Twitter platform,” Syarif said.

Syarif said Jokowi wanted legal certainty to ensure the allegations would not be repeated, and that this was why he reported the matter to police.

“Is that what the witness was told? In other words, did witness Joko Widodo tell you that this was his reason for reporting the matter to the police?” the prosecutor asked.

“Actually, this had been troubling him for a long time, but at the time he had no intention of filing a police report. We have forgotten how many years ago it was. Eventually, after he had left office, he felt the same way, even though he was no longer president, because attacks or accusations concerning this fake-diploma issue continued,” Syarif replied.

“He intended to report it, we explained, in order to provide certainty, especially so that the same thing would not happen to other people,” Syarif added.

Syarif said he showed Jokowi two videos and one X post at Jalan Rasuna Said in South Jakarta. He said the three posts were not related to Roy.

“There were two videos: the first concerned a video by Rismon, the second a video of Eggi Sudjana with Damai Hari Lubis, and the third was on X, posted by Dr Tifa,” Syarif said.

Syarif said Jokowi and his legal team discussed the matter before reporting it. In addition to those three posts, they found five videos containing allegations that Jokowi’s diploma was fake and that were connected to Roy Suryo.

“Of the nine [items] shown earlier, one was related to this defendant. Were any of the others also related to Roy Suryo?” the prosecutor asked.

“Yes,” Syarif replied.

“Five of them, then, out of the nine?” the prosecutor asked.

“That’s right,” Syarif said.

The prosecutor then played an excerpt of Roy’s remarks. Syarif said he had watched the video himself and had seen Jokowi’s diploma before the report was filed.

“I saw it,” Syarif replied.

“You saw it yourself, carefully?” the prosecutor asked.

“That’s right,” Syarif said.

Roy Suryo is accused of defaming Jokowi. Prosecutors said Suryo spread false information about Jokowi’s diploma.

For this alleged conduct, Suryo is charged under Article 433(1) in conjunction with Article 441(1) of Law No. 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code, with alternative charges under Article 35 in conjunction with Article 51(1) and Article 32 in conjunction with Article 48(1) of the Electronic Information and Transactions Law (Law No. 11 of 2008), as amended by Law No. 1 of 2026 on Criminal Adjustments.

Jokowi has also testified as a witness and showed his diploma to Roy Suryo. Suryo subsequently rejected all of Jokowi’s testimony.