Bandung Activist Re-arrested on Day of Release from Detention

Police at Surabaya Metropolitan Police Headquarters arrested an activist and student from Bandung, Muhammad Ainun Komarullah, commonly known as Komar, on 9 March, precisely on the day of his release from Kebon Waru Detention Centre in Bandung.

Komar had just completed his prison sentence on charges of provocation in connection with demonstrations in Bandung in August 2025. He now faces similar legal proceedings for incidents in Surabaya.

According to information from the Bandung Legal Aid Institute (LBH Bandung), Komar was previously sentenced to six months imprisonment by the Bandung District Court on 12 February 2026. He was found guilty of managing the Instagram account @blackbloczone, which was deemed to have incited unrest during riots at the West Java Regional Representative Assembly (DPRD) complex.

However, immediately upon his release, officers from Surabaya Metropolitan Police arrived with an arrest warrant.

Usman Hamid, human rights advocate and Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, condemned the police action as undermining the sense of justice and potentially violating the legal principle regarding double prosecution.

“Arresting and detaining someone on the day of their release after serving a prison sentence is an action that violates the principle of public justice. This police action also potentially violates the principle of ne bis in idem in criminal law, which emphasises that a person should not be tried more than once for the same act,” Usman stated.

Usman emphasised that Komar has atoned for his wrongdoing through his prison sentence in Bandung. He also regretted the repeated use of incitement charges against Komar and other civil society members.

According to him, the authorities should follow instructions from the Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, not to seek grounds to oppose activists’ acquittals.

“After completing his prison sentence in Bandung, Komar was not even given the opportunity to embrace his family who had been waiting. He was immediately arrested by authorities regarding the second-stage transfer to the Tanjung Perak State Prosecutor’s Office in Surabaya related to alleged incitement that led to riots in Surabaya during August 2025 demonstrations,” he said.

Habibus Shalihin, Director of the Surabaya Legal Aid Institute, said his organisation was working to provide legal assistance to Komar.

He viewed Komar’s arrest as a disregard for the principle of ne bis in idem, which remains in effect as regulated in Law No 1 of 2023 concerning the New Criminal Code.

“In Komar’s case, there is actually evidence that law enforcement officials have been negligent regarding several regulations, one of which concerns the principle that a single case cannot be tried multiple times, or what is called ne bis in idem,” said Habibus.

Habibus also viewed this action as the state’s attempt, through law enforcement officers, to suppress and criminalise groups of civil society members who are critical, both in public spaces and digital spaces.

According to him, repeated prosecution in different locations for the same digital content would set a dangerous precedent for freedom of expression.

“This is a form of state pressure on the people. And this will create a dangerous precedent, especially regarding digital spaces. It could be that digital content is uploaded in Surabaya and then viewed in Bali. Should it then be tried in Surabaya and also in Bali? That is not permitted under legal principles,” he said.

For his part, AKBP Edy Herwiyanto, Head of the Criminal Investigation Division at Surabaya Metropolitan Police, confirmed that his officers had arrested Komar. He is now classified as a suspect.

“Confirmed, and the suspect has been handed over to the Public Prosecutor’s Office as the case is at the P21 stage. As of Tuesday, 10 March 2026,” said Edy when contacted by CNNIndonesia.com.

Edy stated the case relates to the impact of posts from a social media account managed by Komar on the demonstration situation that ended in rioting in the Grahadi State Building area, Surabaya, in August 2025.

“The case involves incitement using the BlackBlokzone account that resulted in riots at Grahadi,” he said.

AKP Hadi Ismanto, Head of Public Relations at Surabaya Metropolitan Police, said Komar has been charged with numerous articles concerning incitement, the spread of false information causing riots in society, and several other charges.

“Articles 45A paragraphs (2) and (3) in conjunction with Article 28 paragraphs (2) and (3) of Law Number 1 of 2024 amending Law Number 11 of 2008 concerning Electronic Information and Transactions, and/or Article 187 of the Criminal Code, and/or Article 363 of the Criminal Code, and/or Article 170 of the Criminal Code, and/or Article 160 of the Criminal Code, and/or Article 406 of the Criminal Code, and/or Article 212 of the Criminal Code in conjunction with Articles 55 and 56 of the Criminal Code,” said Hadi.