Roy Suryo on rejected pretrial motion: It's common, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose

Roy Suryo has spoken out after South Jakarta District Court judge I Ketut Darpawan rejected his pretrial motion concerning his naming as a suspect in the case of alleged fake diplomas belonging to Joko Widodo. Roy Suryo stated he still respects the ruling. He also thanked the judge who previously granted part of his first pretrial motion relating to searches, arrests and detention. ‘For our second motion, I personally still appreciate the ruling, and remain grateful for our first pretrial decision,’ Roy told reporters after the hearing at the South Jakarta District Court on Monday, 20 July 2026. According to Roy Suryo, the rejection of his motion is a normal part of the legal process. He noted that each judge has different considerations when deciding a case. ‘There are different considerations here. Previously, the judge may have looked at it comprehensively, as a whole, but now only looked at the timing. Because the judge said the time had actually been given by the agency,’ Roy explained. ‘But for me, it is common. It is common. So sometimes a single judge decides to agree, sometimes they decide not to agree,’ he added. Roy Suryo was seen briefly smiling and raising his clenched left fist while shouting ‘merdeka’ (freedom) after the trial. He then approached his supporters, mostly women, who had been waiting in the court area. Previously, sole judge I Ketut Darpawan rejected the pretrial motion filed by Roy Suryo regarding the validity of his suspect designation in the alleged defamation case against Jokowi. In the ruling, the judge stated that the motion could not be granted, meaning the suspect designation by investigators remains legally valid. The judge also considered the manner in which the applicant filed pretrial motions in several separate applications, noting that this approach could potentially slow down the case handling process.