Headline: Indonesia Corruption Watch Researchers Targeted in Doxing Attack After Jokowi’s OCCRP ‘Person of the Year’ Nomination
Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) researchers were subject to a doxing attack on Friday, January 3, 2025, following their comments on the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project’s (OCCRP) nomination of Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) as a contender for the "Person of the Year in Organized Crime and Corruption" award.
Personal data of the ICW researchers, including their names, phone numbers, ID card numbers, addresses, phone device specifications, and Google Maps location links, were leaked on Instagram by the account @volt_anonym. The content was later re-shared on Twitter by the account @MurtadhaOne1. However, the @volt_anonym account is no longer available on Instagram.
ICW’s Kampanye Publik Coordinator Tibiko Zabar Pradano suspects the doxing is related to the statements made by ICW researchers on various media platforms. ICW Coordinator Agus Sunaryanto condemns the doxing, stating it violates Indonesia’s Law Number 27 Year 2022 on Personal Data Protection and poses a threat to the safety and freedom of expression of the affected researchers.
‘OCCRP’s annual "person of the year" list aims to highlight individuals who have significantly contributed to the proliferation of organized crime and corruption worldwide. This year’s nominees include Jokowi, Kenya’s President William Ruto, Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and Indian business magnate Gautam Adani. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was named the winner for 2024.
OCCRP’s director, Drew Sullivan, explained that the nominees are based on global input and that the organization doesn’t control the nomination process. The final selection is made by a panel of experts, academics, and journalists well-versed in corruption and organized crime investigations. Sullivan also mentioned that while OCCRP doesn’t have evidence of Jokowi personally benefiting from corruption, there are concerns about the weakening of Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and other institutions under his administration.
In response to his nomination, Jokowi challenged his accusers to provide concrete evidence of his involvement in corruption. "If there’s victimization, let there be evidence," he said. Projo, an organization supporting Jokowi, dismissed the allegations as politically motivated. However, independent analysts, such as Totok Dwi Diantoro from Gadjah Mada University’s Anti-Corruption Studies and Research Center (PUKAT), argue that Jokowi’s administration has shown signs of grand corruption and has undermined the KPK’s effectiveness.
Indonesia Corruption Watch encourages enforcement agencies to investigate the doxing attack, while also using the OCCRP nomination as an opportunity to scrutinize Jokowi’s administration. The KopfFixture questions the government’s commitment to upholding press freedom, pointing to Indonesia’s declining ranking in the World Press Freedom Index. The country fell three ranks to 111th in 2024, down from 108th in 2023.
This is a developing story. More details will be added as they become available.
Image 들려보기: A screenshot of the OCCRP website displaying the finalists for the Person of the Year in Organized Crime and Corruption Award 2024.
Caption: Finalists for the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) ‘Person of the Year’ in Organized Crime and Corruption, including Indonesian President Joko Widodo (center).
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