Jakarta Court to Rule on Fadli Zon's 1998 Mass Rape Denial Case This April

6 hours ago 4

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Civil Society Coalition Against Impunity announced that the State Administrative Court (PTUN) in Jakarta will deliver its verdict on the lawsuit against Minister of Culture Fadli Zon for denying the May 1998 mass rape case.

Daniel Winarta, the coalition’s legal representative, said the decision is scheduled for April 21, 2026.

Daniel expressed hope that the court will uphold several demands against Fadli Zon, including declaring his statements and related actions illegal and ordering him to retract his denial.

"Two of these demands include the statement and actions of Fadli Zon being considered illegal. Fadli must retract his statement," Daniel said during a press conference in Central Jakarta on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

The lawsuit was filed in September 2025, and during the six-month trial, the coalition presented 95 written documents, five electronic records, five expert testimonies, and two witnesses to support the historical reality of mass rape in 1998. "Mass rape is a historical fact," Daniel said.

He noted that the state previously investigated the incident through the Joint Fact-Finding Team (TGPF), whose report became the basis for a joint statement by five state officials: the ministers of Defense, Justice, Home Affairs, Foreign Affairs, and the Attorney General.

"The TGPF document serves as the basis for the investigative record. This is an official document in the legal process," he said.

Daniel argued that as Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon has no authority to dispute this data. The coalition views his denial as public deception and an obstruction of human rights judicial processes, as regulated under Law No. 26 of 2000 on Human Rights Courts.

The coalition also emphasized the case’s relevance given Fadli’s role as a public official. Law No. 30 of 2014 on Government Administration allows legal action against state officials whose actions or statements violate legal and human rights principles. Public officials are required to act within the law and uphold human rights, not act arbitrarily.

Throughout the trial, the coalition argued that Fadli’s statements violated several laws, including human rights law, human rights court law, and government administration law. They also claimed he breached general principles of good governance, including legal certainty, accuracy, and impartiality.

"Substantively and in terms of authority, it is contrary to various laws and principles. We are waiting for the courage of the judge to make a decision," Daniel said.

The Civil Society Coalition Against Impunity formally filed the lawsuit at PTUN Jakarta on September 11, 2025. The coalition includes former Attorney General Marzuki Darusman, Ita F. Nadia (Chair of the TGPF May 1998), Kusmiyati (victim assistant), Sandyawan Sumardi (parent of May 1998 fire victims), the Indonesian Chinese Youth Association, the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation, and Kalyanamitra.

Fadli Zon previously defended his position by claiming his statements were intended to "rewrite history" and clarify longstanding rumors. In an interview with YouTube IDN Time on June 11, 2025, he said: "Mass rape, who said that? There's never been any proof. It's just a story. If there is, show it, is it in the history books?"

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