Doctor Tifa Charged with Defamation and Slander Over Jokowi's Diploma

Jakarta – Public prosecutors have indicted Tifauzia Tyassuma, known as Doctor Tifa, for criminal defamation and slander related to her statements questioning the authenticity of former President Joko Widodo’s (Jokowi) diploma. The charges were read during her first trial at the East Jakarta District Court on Thursday, 2 July 2026.

Prosecutors explained that in March 2025, a witness, Syarif Muhammad, showed Jokowi three social media posts on X that attacked his honour and reputation, essentially accusing him of having a fake undergraduate degree. One of those posts was made by Doctor Tifa.

After viewing the posts, Jokowi instructed Syarif to gather further social media posts that attacked his honour and accused him of holding a fake degree. While this collection was underway, on 14 April, Jokowi’s legal team held a press conference stating that the allegations regarding his undergraduate diploma were entirely false and misleading. They confirmed that Jokowi’s degree was genuine and had been clearly verified by Gadjah Mada University and the relevant authorities. The legal team also warned the public against further spreading false accusations and hoaxes claiming the diploma was fake.

Between April and May 2025, Syarif submitted 28 social media posts to Jokowi that attacked his honour and alleged his diploma was fake. Of these, five posts were attributed to Doctor Tifa. Prosecutors detailed that Jokowi was officially registered as a student at the Faculty of Forestry, Gadjah Mada University (UGM), from 28 July 1980. During his studies, he completed all academic requirements according to the 1982 Undergraduate Study Programme Guidebook, totalling 160 credit hours. The university subsequently issued a Bachelor of Forestry diploma, number 1120, dated 5 November 1985, in Jokowi’s name.

Prosecutors stated that as a result of the defendant’s actions, Jokowi suffered immaterial harm, including the tarnishing of his personal reputation. He felt deeply humiliated and degraded, and some parties even went on to accuse him of using a fake diploma to meet candidacy requirements for previous public offices, including Mayor of Solo, Governor of Jakarta, and the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia.