Ministry of Higher Education: No Tolerance for Sexual Violence
The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology states that there is no tolerance for any form of violence in higher education institutions, including the alleged sexual violence case at the Faculty of Law, University of Indonesia.
Higher Education, Science, and Technology Minister Brian Yuliarto said the case must be handled objectively, accountably, and with a focus on victim protection. He also emphasised that universities are obligated to ensure a safe, inclusive environment free from all forms of violence, whether physical, verbal, psychological, sexual, or digital-based.
“Therefore, we reiterate that there must be no tolerance for any form of violence on campus, in whatever form,” Brian stated during a press release on Wednesday, 15 April 2026.
According to Brian, any action that degrades human dignity is a serious violation and must be addressed seriously, fairly, and with protection in mind. He claimed that the Ministry has coordinated with the UI rector to monitor the progress of handling the alleged sexual harassment case.
The Professor at the Faculty of Industrial Technology, Bandung Institute of Technology, explained that in terms of policy, the handling of this case refers to Ministerial Regulation on Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Number 55 of 2024 on the Prevention and Handling of Violence in Higher Education Environments.
The regulation covers all forms of violence, including sexual, verbal, psychological, bullying, as well as discrimination and intolerance. In addition, Brian said, this regulation also requires every higher education institution to establish and strengthen the Task Force for Prevention and Handling of Violence (Satgas PPK) in Higher Education Environments and to guarantee victim protection and recovery.
He emphasised that if criminal elements are found in the handling process, law enforcement will refer to Law Number 12 of 2022 on Sexual Violence Crimes in accordance with applicable provisions.
Previously, 16 students from the Faculty of Law, University of Indonesia, were suspected of committing sexual violence. They are alleged to have engaged in sexually charged conversations discussing other students in their internal group. The conversation circulated on social media platform X via a post from the account @sampahfhui on Saturday, 11 April 2026.
The victim’s legal representative, Timotius Rajagukguk, revealed that the victims of the alleged harassment involving Faculty of Law UI students number 20 female students and 7 lecturers. According to Timotius, the case has been occurring since 2025, and the victims became aware of the harassment in that year.
UI’s Director of Public Relations, Media, Government, and International Relations, Erwin Agustian Panigoro, said that to date, UI has designated 16 students as suspected perpetrators involved in the harassment incident. He stated that the 16 students are currently undergoing examination, while upholding the presumption of innocence.
The ongoing handling stages include examination of parties, chronology deepening, evidence verification, and preparation of recommendations by the Satgas PPK. Subsequently, the recommendations will serve as the basis for university leadership in determining decisions.
“Including the possibility of imposing academic sanctions according to the level of proven violation,” Erwin said in a written statement on Tuesday, 14 April 2026.