Jokowi's Lawyer Responds After Judge Accepts Dr Tifa's Exception

Lawyers for Indonesia’s seventh President, Joko Widodo, have responded to the East Jakarta District Court’s interim ruling granting an exception, or objection, filed by defendant Tifauziah Tyassuma, also known as Dr Tifa.

Rivai Kusumaneraga said he respected the interim ruling, describing it as part of the corrections and checks and balances inherent in an ongoing legal process.

He explained that the ruling only corrects the Public Prosecutor’s indictment and does not dismiss the criminal case itself.

“With a ruling like this, the prosecutors will usually revise the construction of the articles in line with the court’s instructions, and then resubmit the indictment to the court,” Rivai told journalists at the East Jakarta District Court on Thursday (23/7).

“So this is really more of a correction to a form of indictment deemed obscure (vague), and it does not mean the case is terminated. The case can still proceed and the prosecutors simply need to amend their indictment,” he continued.

Rivai also stated that his client, Jokowi, is ready to appear before the court.

“We are here to follow the schedule the panel of judges will set for Mr Jokowi’s examination. In fact, Mr Jokowi is ready — even next week he would have been prepared to come here, having already set aside the time,” Rivai said.

“But it turns out this interim ruling states the indictment must first be amended, and we respect that. Mr Jokowi’s appearance will now await the next hearing,” he added.

The panel of judges at the East Jakarta District Court granted the exception filed by Dr Tifa, the defendant in the case concerning allegations that the seventh President’s diploma was fake.

“Ruling: the objection filed by the defendant’s legal team is accepted,” said Presiding Judge Christina Endarwati as she read out the interim ruling at the East Jakarta District Court on Thursday (23/7).

The judges ruled that the Public Prosecutor’s indictment in case number 301/Pid.Sus/2026/PN Jkt.Tim against defendant Tifauziah Tyassuma was careless and vague, and was therefore legally void.

As a result, the examination of the case cannot proceed to the evidentiary stage.

The case is being heard by Presiding Judge Christina Endarwati, alongside panel members Rudi Rafli Siregar and Mathilda Chrystina Katarina.