Legal Aid Group Calls for Police Reform to End ‘No Viral, No Justice’ Cycle

Indonesia’s Community Legal Aid Institute is demanding that Police Chief Suyudi Ario Seto implement a full overhaul of the public reporting system to eradicate the “no viral, no justice” stigma. The group argues that without a clear, publicly visible mechanism for receiving, recording, verifying and monitoring complaints, promises of reform will remain empty. Suyudi, who pledged to improve case transparency during his parliamentary fit-and-proper test, must also ensure that explanations are provided whenever a case is closed or dropped.

LBHM ties this reform to the recent reshuffle of 19 regional police chiefs, insisting that changes be felt at the Polda, Polres and Polsek levels. The institute also calls for stronger external oversight of police powers and a shift away from counting arrests toward assessing the quality and legality of police actions, especially regarding vulnerable groups. Success, it says, should be measured by fairness, legal certainty and respect for minorities.