Prosecutors Ask Judge to Reject Roy Suryo's Exception: Pre-trial Ruling is Irrelevant

Public Prosecutors have responded to the resistance filed by Roy Suryo, who is accused of defamation and libel against the 7th President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (Jokowi). The prosecutors have requested that the judge reject the objection submitted by Roy Suryo.

This was stated by the Public Prosecutor (JPU) at the East Jakarta District Court on Monday (5/10/202lar). The prosecutor dismissed the arguments presented by Roy Suryo’s legal team, which cited a previous pre-trial ruling from the South Jakarta District Court within their objection.

“The defendant previously filed a pre-trial motion to the South Jakarta District Court, registered on Monday, 22 June 2026. The results of the resistance are on pages 5-7,” said the JPU.

According to the prosecutor, the arguments from Roy Suryo’s legal team regarding the pre-trial ruling are irrelevant to the main trial. The prosecution maintains that the defendant’s arguments regarding the pre-trial are not relevant to the subject matter of the resistance as regulated under Article 206, paragraph 1 of Law Number 20 of 2025 on the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP).

“The arguments from the defendant’s legal team do not constitute the subject matter of the resistance as regulated in Article 206, paragraph 1 of Law Number 20 of 2025 regarding the KUHAP, because those arguments pertain to pre-trial matters that are no longer relevant to the current trial,” they stated.

The prosecutor emphasised that Roy Suryo’s legal team misunderstood the pre-trial ruling. According to the prosecution, the pre-trial ruling did not concern the application of the indictment charges, but rather the failure to meet the requirements for arrest, detention, and search as regulated by the KUHAP.

“Therefore, the South Jakarta District Court ruling number 99, dated 07 July 2026, which annulled the coercive measures of arrest, detention, and search, cannot serve as a basis to cancel the second alternative indictment, namely Article 35 of the ITE Law, and the third alternative indictment, namely Article 232, paragraph 1 of the ITE Law,” said the JPU.

“Consequently, regarding the defendant’s counsel, the pre-trial matter is irrelevant and does not constitute the subject matter of the resistance as regulated in Article 206, paragraph 1 of Law No. 20 of 2025 KUHAP; thus, the objection must be declared inadmissible,” they added.

Roy Suryo’s Indictment

Previously, Kanjeng Raden Mas Tumenggung Roy Suryo Notodiprojecto, known as Roy Suryo, was indicted for defamation and libel against the 7th President, Joko Widodo. Prosecutors claim Roy Suryo spread false information regarding Jokowi’s university degree.

The Public Prosecutor (JPU) charged Roy with alleged defamation, libel, and violations of the ITE Law (Electronic Information and Transactions Law). Prosecutors stated the case began on 26 March 2025. At that time, according to the prosecution, Jokowi was presented with two YouTube uploads and one post on the social media platform X, which were deemed to attack Jokowi’s honour.

“The three social media uploads, consisting of two YouTube videos and one post on X, attacked the honour or reputation of the witness, Ir H Joko Widodo, primarily accusing him of having a forged undergraduate (S-1) degree,” the prosecutor stated while reading the indictment.

“The uploads include the YouTube account @EggiSudjanaChannel titled ‘Consistent TPUA Disclosure of Fake Degree’, and the X account @DokterTifa titled ‘ERA AI: All Fake Degrees Will Be Revealed Within Seconds’,” the prosecutor added.

Jokowi subsequently contacted his legal counsel regarding the matter. Once assembled, Jokowi’s legal team held a press conference to refute the allegations.

Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) also held a press conference, stating that Jokowi was a registered student at UGM and had successfully graduated. Prosecutors noted that Roy’s actions caused Jokowi immaterial loss due to the damage to his reputation.

“Furthermore, there were parties who joined in accusing witness Ir H Joko Widodo of using a forged S-1 degree to meet the requirements for previous public office candidacies, namely Mayor of Solo, Governor of Jakarta, and the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia,” the prosecutor stated.

The prosecution asserted that the S-1 degree analysed by Roy using the Error Level Analysis (ELA) method did not originate from the legitimate owner of the degree, namely Jokowi. Prosecutors claimed that Roy failed to perform verification or seek permission from Jokowi to disseminate the document.

“Additionally, there was no effort from the defendant to perform verification, confirmation, or request permission from witness Ir H Joko Widodo as the legitimate owner of the document, such that the Electronic Information and/or Electronic Documents used as the basis for the defendant’s analysis were obtained unlawfully,” the prosecutor said.

As a result of his actions, Roy is charged with violating Article 433, paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 441, paragraph (1) of Law Number 1 of 2023 regarding the Criminal Code, alternatively Article 35 in conjunction with Article 51, paragraph (1) of Law Number 11 of 2008 regarding the ITE Law in conjunction with Law Number 1 of 2026 on Criminal Law Adjustment, and Article 32 in conjunction with Article 48, paragraph (1) of the ITE Law in conjunction with Law Number 1 of 2026 on Criminal Law Adjustment.