Yogyakarta Police Clarify Incident of Intel Officer Detained by UMY Students

The Yogyakarta Regional Police (Polda DIY) have provided clarification regarding an incident in which an intelligence officer was briefly detained by students at the Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta (UMY) on Wednesday (17/6). The police asserted that the officer’s presence was part of an official security procedure.

Head of Public Relations for Polda DIY, Senior Commissioner Ihsan, confirmed that the man detained by students was an active police personnel. The officer was carrying out duties under a service order for the delivery of public opinion.

“He was an officer involved in the service order for the delivery of public opinion yesterday,” Ihsan stated in Yogyakarta on Thursday (18/6).

Ihsan explained that the deployment of personnel, both uniformed and plainclothes (intelligence), was intended to monitor and ensure the safety of protest participants. Their primary task was to escort the masses so they could return safely to the campus environment after the demonstration.

“The member at the location was part of the service implementation to escort and ensure the protest participants returned to campus safely,” he added.

Regarding the tension that arose in the UMY campus area, Ihsan described it as a misunderstanding. The matter has since been resolved humanely through intensive communication and coordination between the police, the UMY rectorate, and student representatives.

Polda DIY also expressed appreciation to the rectorate and students for their cooperative attitude in resolving the incident. The situation is now declared conducive, and the officer involved has returned to Polda DIY headquarters.

The protest, organised by the UMY Bergerak Alliance (AUB) and UIN Sunan Kalijaga students at the Yogyakarta Zero Kilometre Point, was attended by approximately 470 participants. Police claimed the entire security operation, from departure to the return of the masses, was conducted with a persuasive and humanist approach.