Delpedro Marhaen and Three Activists Charged with Two Years Imprisonment in August 2025 Protest Incitement Case

A continuation hearing in the alleged incitement case concerning the wave of August 2025 demonstrations was held at Jakarta Central District Court (PN Jakarta Pusat) on Friday (27 February 2026). During the agenda to read out the charges, the public prosecutor demanded that Delpedro Marhaen, executive director of Lokataru Foundation, and three fellow activists be sentenced to two years’ imprisonment.

In the prosecution’s indictment, the public prosecutor stated that the defendants had been proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the criminal offence of joint incitement in public.

“We demand that Defendant 1 Delpedro Marhaen be sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, less the time already spent in detention,” stated the public prosecutor before the judicial panel.

Besides Delpedro Marhaen, three other defendants received similar charges in this case. The prosecutor stated that the defendants violated Article 246 read in conjunction with Article 20C of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code. Besides the custodial sentence, the public prosecutor urged the judicial panel to order the immediate detention of the accused.

“We request that the defendants be immediately held in state detention centres,” the public prosecutor asserted during the hearing.

In response to the charges, the defendants’ legal counsel will submit a defence memorandum or closing arguments. The chief judge, Harika Nova Yeri, scheduled the next hearing for early March.

“The hearing will resume on Monday (2 March) at 10.00 a.m. Western Indonesian Time,” said Judge Harika before adjourning the proceedings.

This case stems from a wave of large-scale demonstrations in late August 2025 in Jakarta and various regions of Indonesia that resulted in riots. Following the series of protests, the Metro Jaya Regional Police conducted multiple arrests. Delpedro Marhaen was apprehended by approximately 7 to 10 police officers at the Lokataru Foundation office on the evening of Monday, 1 September 2025, at around 10.45 p.m. Western Indonesian Time.

The activists are accused of incitement through social media content alleged to have illegally mobilised crowds, spread anti-government narratives, and involved students in the mass action.