State investigators have formally named former National Police Chief Jenderal Listyo Sigit Prabowo and two high-ranking police generals as suspects in an illegal wiretapping scheme targeting President Prabowo Subianto and other senior state officials. The investigation, which escalated after Bareskrim Polri reviewed a police report filed on October 30, 2026, has prompted swift dismissals from executive office and triggered urgent calls from civil society groups to dismantle the wider chain of command behind the operation.
Suspects Named and Equipment Moved from Headquarters
Bareskrim Polri investigators charged three senior officers: former National Police Chief Jenderal LSP (Listyo Sigit Prabowo), Kadivkum Polri Irjen ASN (Ahrie Sonta Nasution), and Irjen EHS (Eko Hadi Santoso), according to statements from Kabareskrim Polri Komjen Pol. Asep Safrudin. Investigators are holding the suspects in the Rutan Mabes Polri following an initial probe that included questioning 10 witnesses and three expert witnesses.
The investigation began after a police officer discovered unauthorized interception activities and the erasure of electronic data, leading investigators to uncover that the wiretapping of the president’s telephone number and various state officials occurred throughout 2025 and 2026 without any legal enforcement rationale or statutory procedure.
Defense and security analyst Dr. Selamat Ginting noted that the interception hardware originally stationed at the National Police headquarters was relocated to private residences of high-ranking officers—including a location in the Widya Chandra complex—after Listyo Sigit left his post as police chief. The illicit surveillance operations utilized specialized Lawful Interception Management Systems (LIMS), which CISSReC Chairman Dr. Pratama Persadha explained require strict authorization and access control protocols that were bypassed in this case to input target data and subsequently scrub activity logs in October 2026.
Istana Responds with Treason Warnings and KSP Dismissal
President Prabowo Subianto received direct briefings on the operation from National Police Chief Jenderal Polisi Suyudi Ario Seto, as detailed by Menko Yusril Ihza Mahendra. Following the briefings, President Prabowo signed a decree formally dismissing Listyo Sigit from his position as Head of the Presidential Staff Office (KSP).
Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi stated during a press conference at the State Palace that the intercepted communications and covert activities directly threatened state leadership. Yusril added that the targeted interception of the head of state and multiple ministers indicated a deliberate attempt to paralyze the presidency through unauthorized surveillance, noting that the actions officially enter the preliminary threshold of treason while formal examinations continue.
Civil Society Demands Broad Investigation Beyond Top Suspects
Investigations indicate the clandestine operation also targeted political figures, media organizations, civil society groups, non-governmental organizations, and business leaders throughout 2025 and 2026.
The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) issued a statement demanding that authorities investigate the entire chain of command. Similarly, University of Trisakti criminal law lecturer Azmi Syahputra emphasized that the inquiry must identify all individuals who planned, ordered, controlled, and profited from the harvested intelligence.
The Ombudsman of Indonesia also intervened, calling for institutional reforms to internal oversight mechanisms and stricter controls over the deployment of state surveillance assets to prevent future abuses of administrative power.