Actor Questions Bank's Block on Activist's Account Amid Protest Plans

Actor Jefri Nichol has voiced strong criticism regarding Bank Mandiri's decision to block the bank account of Supriyono, the coordinator for the Alliance of United Pati People (AMPB). Nichol expressed alarm over the bank's alleged compliance with authorities to freeze the activist's funds.

"It's very scary that Bank Mandiri can be ordered by authorities to block the account of an activist from Pati who is about to protest on the 27th in Jakarta. What else can they access…??? Big brother is watching you????️????️," Nichol wrote on his Threads account. He found the move baffling, especially since the planned protest had not yet occurred, suggesting the activist was being silenced preemptively.

Bank Mandiri acknowledged the account blockage, stating it was a follow-up to a request from law enforcement and was executed according to procedures. However, the bank apologized for any inconvenience caused to the customer. This action has drawn condemnation from the Civil Society Coalition, which denounced the blocking as potentially illegal and an infringement on freedom of expression.

The coalition argued that the blocking hinders the ability of citizens traveling from Pati to access their operational funds. They also noted that Supriyono's social media accounts experienced disruptions around the same time. The coalition emphasized that requests from authorities should not be grounds for arbitrarily blocking citizens' accounts, demanding clear explanations regarding the order, the investigation, and the funds' connection to any alleged crime.