Apology Not Enough: 16 UI Law Students Face Dropout Threat Over Alleged Sexual Harassment Case

Jakarta, VIVA – The case of alleged sexual harassment involving 16 students from the Faculty of Law at the University of Indonesia continues to draw public attention. The latest developments indicate that the students allegedly involved now face severe sanctions, including the possibility of being dropped out (DO). However, the final decision on sanctions cannot be made instantly as it must go through the university’s strict official procedures.

Public attention to this case has intensified following the university’s open forum attended by hundreds of students. At the forum, the 16 students allegedly involved in the sexual harassment case were asked to attend and face reactions from the academic community.

Although some of them have directly apologised in front of forum participants, calls for the university to impose firm sanctions remain strong. Many students believe that an apology alone is not enough to compensate for the impact felt by the victim.

The Chairman of the Student Executive Board of FH UI, Anandaku Dimas Rumi Chattaristo, stressed that heavy punishment needs to be considered to provide a deterrent effect.

“An apology alone is not enough; there needs to be a firmer sanction. It is not out of the question for dropout,” he said, quoted from tvOnenews on Tuesday, 14 April 2026.

Amid increasing public pressure, an important explanation has emerged regarding who has the authority to impose DO sanctions. Professor at FH UI, M. R. Andri Gunawan Wibisana or Prof. Andri Gunawan, emphasised that the decision does not lie solely with the dean. According to him, the entire process must proceed according to official university rules.

“Everything has a process. Does the Dean have the authority for DO? Of course not. Therefore, it must be rational and have a process,” said Andri.

Currently, the alleged sexual harassment case is being handled through the university’s official mechanisms, including the Task Force for the Prevention and Handling of Sexual Violence (Satgas PPKS).

In addition, internal ethics hearings also serve as an important stage to determine the level of violation that occurred. From that process, sanction recommendations will emerge to be submitted to the rector’s side.