Ubedilah Claims Criticism of Prabowo is Journalistic Product, Requests Resolution Through Press Council
Jakarta - Political observer Ubedilah Badrun has described the criticism he voiced against President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka in the YouTube podcast Forum Keadilan as a journalistic product.
Therefore, he has requested that the police prioritise the mechanism for resolving disputes through the Press Council regarding the report of alleged hate speech against him.
“Because my narrative is a right to opinion guaranteed by the constitution. I spoke on a legal media outlet, interviewed by its journalists, so it falls under the category of journalistic product that cannot be prosecuted outside the Press Council,” Ubedilah told Kompas.com via short message on Sunday (19/4/2026).
Therefore, he assesses that this dispute cannot be directly taken to the criminal realm.
“Moreover, there is already a Constitutional Court (MK) decision, namely Decision Number 145/PUU-XXIII/2025, which was read out on 19 January 2026. The MK ruled that journalistic works by journalists cannot be directly prosecuted criminally or sued civilly without going through the legal mechanisms regulated in Law No. 40 of 1999 on the Press,” he explained.
“I do not know the motives of the parties involved, nor do I know them. Perhaps they are fanatical loyalists of Prabowo-Gibran who felt offended when I said Prabowo-Gibran is a burden on the nation, or maybe they lack research on the current state of the nation, making it difficult to distinguish between criticism and hate speech,” he stated.
Although he feels the report lacks a strong legal basis, Ubedilah said he would still respect the legal process if the report is followed up.
Previously, Ubedilah Badrun was reported to the Metro Jaya Regional Police regarding his statements in the Forum Keadilan podcast on YouTube that touched on President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
The Head of Public Relations of Metro Jaya Regional Police, Commissioner Pol Budi Hermanto, said the report was received on Monday (13/4/2026).
According to Budi, Ubedilah was reported for alleged hate speech delivered through social media. The report is registered under number LP/B/2560/IV/2026/SPKT/POLDA METRO JAYA dated 13 April 2026.
In response to the report, Ubedilah admitted to being confused.
“Regarding that report, I actually find it strange to hear, how could there be such a report amid the deteriorating democracy in Indonesia, amid Indonesia’s bad image in the international eye,” Ubed revealed in a separate interview on Friday.
He also views the reporting of such criticism as a form of stifling freedom of expression in public spaces.