Indonesian Court Dismisses Indictment Against Dr. Tifa Over Procedural Flaws

A court in East Jakarta has dismissed the indictment against Dr. Tifauzia Tyassuma, ruling that the prosecutor's charges were legally void. The decision came on Thursday, July 23, 2026, after the panel of judges granted a motion filed by Dr. Tifa's legal team, which argued that the indictment contained fundamental flaws.

“

If you want to accuse a citizen, accuse them correctly.

The core issue identified by the judges was the prosecutor's improper use of legal articles. The indictment cited both Article 433(1) of the new Criminal Code (Law No. 1 of 2023) and Article 310 of the old Criminal Code (Wetboek van Strafrecht) for related offenses. This occurred despite the fact that the new Criminal Code had already taken effect at the time of the indictment and case filing. The court found this mixing of legal regimes created uncertainty and demonstrated a lack of diligence by the prosecutor.

"The ambiguity in determining the articles shows the prosecutor was not careful in drafting the indictment," the judges stated, emphasizing that indictments must be precise, clear, and complete to allow a defendant to understand the accusations and mount an effective defense. Because the indictment was deemed legally defective, Dr. Tifa's objection was upheld, and the charges were declared void, preventing the trial from proceeding on those grounds. The case file has been returned to the prosecutor's office.

“

The ambiguity in determining the articles shows the prosecutor was not careful in drafting the indictment.

This ruling represents a procedural victory for Dr. Tifa, as it halted the legal proceedings before the substance of her statements or the authenticity of Joko Widodo's diploma could be examined in court. However, the court did not rule on the merits of the case itself, meaning Dr. Tifa has not been declared innocent of the accusations. The judges acknowledged that their decision did not address whether Dr. Tifa's claims were correct or incorrect, nor did it determine whether Jokowi's diploma is genuine or fake. The victory is procedural, safeguarding Dr. Tifa's right to a fair process, where the state must adhere to legal procedures when prosecuting a citizen.

“

In a state of law, procedure is not a tablecloth that can be set aside when it interferes with the meal. Procedure is the fence that prevents power from entering a citizen's home at will.