Dr Tifa Charged with Defamation and Slander Against Jokowi

Tifauzia Tyassuma, known as Dr Tifa, has been charged with criminal defamation and slander against Indonesia’s 7th President, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), over allegations of a fake diploma. The indictment was read by prosecutors during the first hearing at the East Jakarta District Court today. The case began on 26 March 2025, when witness and Jokowi’s aide, Syarif Muhammad Fitriansyah, informed and showed Jokowi three social media posts attacking his honour or reputation. The posts alleged that Jokowi’s undergraduate (S-1) degree certificate was fake. While gathering these posts, on 14 April, Jokowi’s legal team held a press conference stating that the accusations regarding his S-1 diploma were untrue and highly misleading. The prosecutor stated in court that Jokowi’s S-1 diploma exists, is genuine, and has been clearly confirmed by Gadjah Mada University (UGM) and the relevant authorities. The legal team also reminded the public not to spread accusations and false news claiming the diploma is fake. The prosecutor further stated that Dr Tifa alleged several irregularities in Jokowi’s diploma, ranging from the cover text, graduation photo, UGM alumni book, to Jokowi’s mention of the late Professor Achmad Soemitro as his academic supervisor. In response, Jokowi asked Syarif and his legal team to collect the social media posts, which he considered an attack on his honour and reputation. Among 28 social media posts reviewed by Jokowi, five contained the defendant’s actions essentially accusing Jokowi’s S-1 diploma of being fake. The prosecutor noted that Jokowi was registered as a student at UGM’s Faculty of Forestry on 28 July 1980, and UGM issued forestry S-1 diploma number 1120 dated 5 November 1965 in the name of Joko Widodo. As a result of the defendant’s actions, the witness suffered immaterial loss, namely the tarnishing of his personal reputation. The prosecutor said Dr Tifa continued to claim the diploma was fake, spreading the expression via social media and talk shows without valid proof, constituting an attack on Jokowi’s honour using information technology. Tifa was charged with a primary indictment under Article 434 paragraph 1 in conjunction with Article 441 paragraph 1 in conjunction with Article 126 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code, and a subsidiary indictment under Article 433 paragraph 1 in conjunction with Article 441 paragraph 1 in conjunction with Article 126 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code. She was also charged with a second primary indictment under Article 434 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code, and a second subsidiary indictment under Article 310 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code or Article 35 in conjunction with Article 51 paragraph (1) and/or Article 32 paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 48 paragraph (1) of Law Number 11 of 2008 concerning Electronic Information and Transactions in conjunction with Article 126 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code.