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    Rights Watchdog: Military’s Cyber Policing of Ferry Irwandi Dangerous for Democracy

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    By Daniel Ahmad Fajri

    Copyright tempo

    Rights Watchdog: Military's Cyber Policing of Ferry Irwandi Dangerous for Democracy

    TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The SETARA Institute, a human rights and democracy watchdog, has raised concerns over the Indonesian Military’s (TNI) Cyber Unit consulting with the police regarding alleged criminal acts by Malaka Project CEO Ferry Irwandi.The group warned that this move could undermine democratic consolidation and security sector reform.SETARA researcher Ikhsan Yosarie said that cyber patrols targeting civic activism set a troubling precedent, normalizing military involvement in civilian law enforcement.“The TNI’s cyber operations risk becoming a tool of digital repression, silencing criticism and shaping public narratives,” Ikhsan said in a written statement on Wednesday, September 10, 2025.He emphasized that such actions violate the principle of Military Operations Other Than War (OMSP), which regulates the military’s role outside of armed conflict. According to the TNI Law, military operations should only be further defined through government or presidential regulations, and any role in public security must be in direct support of the police.Instead of strengthening cyber defenses against external threats, Ikhsan warned, the TNI’s involvement is drifting into civilian law enforcement.“This erodes civilian supremacy and opens the door to abuses of authority against civilians,” he added.TNI’s Allegations Against FerryBrigadier General Juinta Omboh previously stated that Ferry was suspected of committing criminal acts after the TNI Cyber Unit combed cyberspace. The unit later submitted its findings to the Jakarta Metro Police during a consultation on Monday, September 8, 2025.Juinta said legal steps are being prepared against Ferry but declined to specify the charges. He mentioned only that the CEO had previously made comments about algorithms.Meanwhile, Metro Jaya Police Cyber Directorate Deputy Director Commissioner Fian Yunus clarified that the TNI had sought to report Ferry for defamation. However, he noted that under a Constitutional Court ruling, institutions cannot file defamation complaints—only individuals can.Ferry and Civil Society ResponseResponding to the developments, Ferry said he was unaware of the TNI’s coordination with the police and had not been contacted regarding any allegations.“I was never contacted,” Ferry wrote in an Instagram post.A coalition of civil society organizations urged police not to pursue the case, stressing that the TNI Cyber Unit should focus on external cyber defense threats rather than intervening in civilian legal matters.“The TNI should not intrude into civilian domains, especially in ways that influence law enforcement processes,” the coalition said in a joint statement.The coalition includes Imparsial, Raksha Initiatives, Centra Initiative, DeJuRe, Indonesian Women’s Coalition, Human Rights Working Group (HRWG), Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI), LBH APIK Association, and the SETARA Institute.Editor’s Choice: Rights Watchdog Urges Prabowo to Halt TNI Cyber Unit’s Social Media PatrolsClick here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News

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