By 
Tarun Savvy via Unsplash, 14 September 2020
The former police chief of Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province is on trial for sexually assaulting minors and distributing explicit content online, following a tip-off from Australian authorities. The case has triggered national outrage and calls for stricter digital surveillance to protect children.
The former police chief of East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, is standing trial for allegedly sexually assaulting minors and distributing explicit content online after Australian authorities flagged suspicious activity on a pornographic website. The case, which has sparked national outrage, involves at least two underage victims and accusations of exploitation facilitated through dating apps.
The investigation began after Australia’s eSafety Commission alerted Indonesian officials about illegal material linked to the former officer’s account. Authorities later identified the victims as 3 to 14-year-old individuals who were reportedly groomed via online platforms. As the investigators gathered evidence and conducted interviews with the victims, it was revealed that the suspect also manipulated a 15-year-old girl to bring more subjects by rewarding her with a certain amount of money.
The suspect did not only exploit his position of authority to access vulnerable minors. Investigation documents also show that such abuse was committed while simultaneously engaging in drug-related offenses. If convicted, the suspect could face up to 12 years in prison under Law No. 12 of 2022 on Sexual Violence Crimes and Law No. 17 of 2016 on Child Protection.
Indonesia’s National Human Rights Commission, Komnas HAM, has condemned the case, calling for stricter monitoring of dating apps and deeper accountability within law enforcement. It has urged the government to strengthen digital surveillance to prevent similar crimes, citing rising cases of online child exploitation. In its recent press release, Komnas HAM has listed down recommendations such as conducting internal inquiry by addressing the Chief of the Indonesian National Police, providing any form of assistance necessary for the victims by addressing the Governor of East Nusa Tenggara, and performing comprehensive evaluation on the use of online dating apps by addressing the Minister of Communication and Digital (Komnas HAM, 2025).
The scandal has forced a reckoning over Indonesia’s uneven protection for minors, particularly in underserved provinces like East Nusa Tenggara, where weak law enforcement, poor digital literacy, and corrupt authority figures enable predators. There is a clear urgency of reformation to break this cycle of vulnerability.
As the trial proceeds, pressure mounts on Indonesia to address systemic failures in protecting minors. The Australian government has pledged continued cooperation, while Indonesian activists, including the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) and the Indonesian Child Protection Commission, demand justice for the victims and systemic reforms to prevent future abuses, especially those committed by high-ranking officials (Channel News Asia, 2025).
Sources and further readings:
Benar News. (2025, March 24). Regency police chief faces trial for sexual abuse of minors after Australian alert. https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/indonesian/regency-police-chief-trial-sexual-abuse-minors-after-australian-alert-03242025133043.html.
Channel News Asia. (2025, March 13). Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara sexual assault case: Policeman accused after Australia flags pornographic website. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/indonesia-east-nusa-tenggara-sexual-assault-minors-children-policeman-australia-pornographic-website-4998156.
CNN Indonesia. (2025, March 30). Komnas HAM minta Komdigi awasi penggunaan aplikasi kencan online [Komnas HAM urges Communications Ministry to monitor dating app usage]. https://www.cnnindonesia.com/nasional/20250330115108-20-1214557/komnas-ham-minta-komdigi-awasi-penggunaan-aplikasi-kencan-online.
Komnas HAM. (2025, March 27). Keterangan pers nomor 17/HM/00/B7K13 [Press statement No. 17/HM/00/B7K13]. https://www.komnasham.go.id/files/20250327-keterangan-pers-nomor-17-hm-00-$B7K13.pdf.
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