Investigation into Violence Against Surabaya Journalist Stalled for Over a Year
The investigation into the alleged violence against Beritajatim journalist, Rama Indra Surya Permana (27), in Surabaya remains stuck at the investigation stage without clear legal certainty. The East Java Journalist Advocacy Committee (KAJ), acting as the victim’s legal counsel, has accused the Surabaya Police Headquarters (Polrestabes Surabaya) of negligence, lack of accountability, and unprofessionalism, noting that the case has been ongoing for one year and four months.
“We reported this on 25 March 2025. This case has passed its one-year and four-month anniversary, yet there has been no progress; it remains in the investigation stage,” said Salawati Taher, legal counsel for KAJ East Java, at the Surabaya Police Headquarters on Monday (8 June).
The assault occurred while Rama was covering a demonstration protesting the TNI Law in Surabaya on 24 March 2025. The victim was beaten by several individuals suspected to be police officers, both in uniform and in plain clothes. Salawati explained that evidence, including medical reports (visum), photographic and video documentation of the alleged perpetrators, and witness statements from fellow journalists, had already been submitted to the police. However, there has been no significant development in the handling of the case.
Furthermore, the investigator from the Surabaya Police Criminal Investigation Unit (Resmob) handling the case has changed three times. The first investigator, Satria Adi, was replaced on 1 May; followed by Rosep Setianto on 22 May; and the most recent, Gallant, took over on 17 November.
Most recently, a scheduled follow-up examination of the victim was unilaterally postponed by the investigators. The cancellation was communicated via mobile phone by the Resmob Unit only while the legal team and the victim were already en route to the Police Headquarters. “The police summoned us without a formal summons letter; in good faith, we still attended, yet our presence was ignored. This demonstrates a lack of professionalism. The cancellation and postponement were even communicated via telephone while we were on our way,” said KAJ East Java lawyer, Fatkhul Khoir.
The legal team also highlighted a disparity in how cases are handled, comparing this to the rapid processing of nearly a thousand demonstrators arrested during protests in August 2025. There are also allegations of a conflict of interest, as the security operations during the night of the incident were directly commanded by personnel from the Surabaya Police Headquarters.
As the case continues to drag on, KAJ East Java is urging the East Java Regional Police (Polda Jatim) to take over the case to ensure legal objectivity. The victim, Rama Indra, expressed his disappointment, stating that the delay is far from the justice he expected. For Rama, the slow resolution is not just a personal matter but a threat to the dignity of the profession and the future of journalistic freedom in Indonesia.
Following the unilateral cancellation, KAJ stated that Rama Indra’s examination has been rescheduled for Thursday (11 June). The committee is also considering further legal action, including a pretrial motion, if the Surabaya Police investigators continue to neglect the case or unilaterally terminate the proceedings regarding this press-related offence.