West Java Woman Faces 12 Years for Allegedly Spreading Protest Hoaxes

A 45-year-old woman from Ciamis, West Java, faces severe legal consequences for allegedly spreading hoaxes related to protests planned around Indonesia's Independence Day on August 17, 2026. Identified by the initials DM, she is accused of uploading and disseminating false content that incited demonstrations.

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We urge the public to be wiser in using social media. Ensure all information has been verified before being disseminated and do not be easily provoked by content whose truth is unclear. If you find suspected hoaxes, report them immediately to the police so they can be followed up.

The suspect is charged under multiple articles of Indonesian law, including the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law and the recently enacted Criminal Code (KUHP). Specifically, she faces charges related to altering, adding, reducing, transmitting, damaging, deleting, or moving electronic information or documents without permission, as well as manipulating or destroying electronic data with the intent to make it appear authentic. These alleged actions carry potential penalties of up to 8 years in prison and fines of up to Rp2 billion under the ITE Law, and up to 12 years in prison and fines of up to Rp12 billion for more severe manipulation charges.

Furthermore, she is charged under Article 264 of the KUHP for spreading false news or notifications that cause public unrest, which carries a maximum sentence of 6 years imprisonment or a fine of Rp500 million. Police have taken DM and the evidence to the Cyber Crimes Directorate of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police for further investigation.

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Initially, from cyber patrols and for further examination, we are still investigating.

Kombes Budi Hermanto, Head of Public Relations for Polda Metro Jaya, urged the public to exercise caution on social media, verify information before sharing, and avoid being provoked by unverified content. He encouraged citizens to report suspected hoaxes to the police for follow-up action. Initial investigations suggest DM shared older video recordings of protests, re-edited with narratives falsely suggesting large-scale demonstrations were imminent for the upcoming 81st Indonesian Independence Day.

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Older protest videos were uploaded and then edited, as if there would be large-scale demonstrations.