Prabowo Subianto

Several activists abducted during the 1997–1998 crisis were never seen again. The Indonesian Parliament later recommended an ad hoc tribunal, but Prabowo was not prosecuted.

State of the evidence

Documented

Prabowo accelerated a project to convert nearly three million hectares of forests and wetlands into plantations, accompanied by deployment of new military units.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

The flagship free meals programme championed by Prabowo caused tens of thousands of food poisoning cases; more than 50,000 people were reported ill in 2026, and nearly 2,000 kitchens were temporarily suspended for failing to meet health standards.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Parents filed the first collective police complaint alleging negligence following food poisoning incidents; the programme was also affected by corruption investigations and the detention of a former official.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Reuters described a vicious circle of declining confidence, capital outflows and a falling rupiah linked to heavy spending, institutional interventions and concerns about central bank independence.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

HRW documented prosecutions of environmental defenders and Indigenous communities as the military assumed a greater role in mining, plantations, infrastructure and food estates.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Person targeted by the proceedings

des écologistes et dirigeants autochtones

Role of the person profiled

Protagonist not prosecuted

Prabowo imposed approximately $19 billion in cuts across ministries and infrastructure, notably to free resources for his free school meals programme.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Students and activists demonstrated in several cities against budget cuts, funding for free meals, the military's growing role and reductions in certain subsidies.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Parliament passed a reform allowing more serving military officers to hold civilian posts without leaving the armed forces, as Prabowo expanded the use of military personnel in public administration.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Under Prabowo, serving military personnel assumed civilian posts and the presidency announced plans to increase personnel numbers to approximately one million within three years.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Demonstrations sparked by anger at lawmakers' salaries and housing allowances spread to at least 32 provinces against a background of unemployment, inequality and austerity.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Following the death of a motorcyclist crushed by a police vehicle, protests escalated. HRW documented excessive force and more than 3,300 detentions; Prabowo warned against 'treason' and 'terrorism'.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

The Alliance of Independent Journalists recorded dozens of acts of violence or intimidation against journalists; a parcel containing a pig's head was sent to Tempo, a media outlet critical of the government.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Joko Widodo conferred the honorary rank of four-star general on Prabowo, 26 years after his dismissal from the military, prompting criticism from human rights activists.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Prabowo selected Gibran Rakabuming Raka, son of outgoing President Joko Widodo, following a controversial Constitutional Court ruling introducing an exception to the age requirement.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Defeated candidates Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo sought a new election and disqualification of the Prabowo–Gibran ticket, alleging distribution of social assistance, favouritism and interference by the outgoing administration.

Attribution

Directly implicated

Having become Defence Minister, Prabowo obtained a US visa and travelled to Washington after approximately two decades during which he had reportedly been barred from entering the United States because of human rights abuse allegations.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Following another defeat against Joko Widodo, Prabowo sought annulment of the result, alleging fraud, abuse of power and intimidation.

Attribution

Directly implicated

Before the official final announcement, Prabowo refused to accept the result and called for an investigation into alleged electoral fraud; his camp withdrew from the vote-counting process.

State of the evidence

Allegations

Attribution

Directly implicated

Prabowo challenged Joko Widodo's victory before the Constitutional Court, alleging structured, systematic and widespread violations; the challenge was dismissed in its entirety.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

A Kopassus unit abducted activists; nine reappeared and described being tortured. Prabowo, then commander of Kopassus, acknowledged his role before a military board, which identified responsibility among senior officers.

State of the evidence

Admitted by the person

Attribution

Command responsibility

A military honour council found responsibility for the abductions, and Prabowo was removed from the military, while several subordinates were court-martialled.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

For decades, human rights organisations have linked Prabowo, then a special forces officer, to units accused of abuses in East Timor.

State of the evidence

Allegations

Attribution

Command responsibility