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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Crime & Justice

Indonesian Advocate on Trial for Allegedly Altering News Screenshot

From Tempo · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • Khariq Anhar, an advocate for agrarian issues, is on trial for allegedly altering a news screenshot.
  • A witness testified that Anhar was known for his vocal advocacy on agrarian conflicts and had previously criticized university fee policies.
  • Prosecutors allege Anhar manipulated a screenshot of a news portal, changing a statement by Said Iqbal to encourage participation in a protest.

Khariq Anhar, a figure known for his advocacy on agrarian issues among Indonesian agricultural students, is currently facing trial for allegedly manipulating a news screenshot. During a hearing at the Central Jakarta District Court, a witness, Rigan Diaz Algifari, described Anhar as a vocal proponent of agrarian issues that often escape national media attention.

Algifari recounted Anhar's efforts to highlight farmer conflicts in West Java and recalled an instance where Anhar was reported by his own university rector for criticizing tuition fee policies deemed burdensome to students. The witness also mentioned Anhar's focus on organizational documents and proposals during a national meeting in Bandung, asserting there was no plan for illegal hacking or organizing protests.

He even went to West Java to help voice farmer conflicts, an issue that actually deserves to be highlighted by national media.

— Rigan Diaz AlgifariTestifying about Khariq Anhar's dedication to agrarian advocacy.

The prosecution alleges that Anhar intentionally altered a screenshot of a news article. The original headline reportedly quoted Said Iqbal stating that anarchists, students, and student unions should not join a protest on August 28, emphasizing it was purely a labor issue. Anhar is accused of editing this to read: "Said Iqbal emphasized that Anarchists, Students & BEM should immediately join the August 28 protest: This is the Indonesian People's Movement!"

This manipulated image, known as 'text replacement' online, was allegedly spread on Instagram accounts, leading to a police report filed by Baringin Jaya Tobing. Anhar faces charges under Indonesia's Electronic Information and Transactions Law (UU ITE), a new indictment following his acquittal on previous charges related to riots in August 2025.

The defendant Khariq was disappointed with Said Iqbal's statement and then committed manipulation by editing the screenshot using Canva, where some words were blacked out and changed to 'Said Iqbal emphasized that Anarchists, Students & BEM should immediately join the August 28 protest: This is the Indonesian People's Movement!'

— prosecution indictmentDetailing the alleged manipulation of the news screenshot.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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