Central Jakarta District Court officials executed the seizure of the Sultan Hotel on June 18, 2026, marking what authorities describe as the largest and most expensive civil execution in Indonesian history. The operation, which involved the recovery of assets valued at Rp28.9 trillion, resulted in violent clashes between protesters and law enforcement at the Gelora Bung Karno complex.
How the court executed the seizure
The seizure of the Sultan Hotel land and buildings was conducted under Assignment Letter Number 181/KPN.W10-U1/ST.KP7.1/VI/2026, issued on June 17, 2026, by the Chair of the Central Jakarta District Court. According to court spokesperson Sunoto, the process followed established Civil Procedure Law. Court Clerk Ahyar Parmika confirmed that the action was involuntary because the operator, PT Indobuildco, refused to vacate the premises. The execution proceeded without the presence of the defendant or their legal counsel.
Why the scale of this case is significant
The Sultan Hotel case stands as a record-breaking event in the country’s legal history due to the sheer value of the assets involved. Sunoto stated that the Rp28.9 trillion execution successfully returns the land—specifically identified as ex-HGB No. 26 and No. 27—to the list of state assets. This shift in ownership represents a major transfer of property within the Gelora Bung Karno complex, a high-profile area in Jakarta.
What happened during the eviction
The court-sanctioned eviction turned into a volatile confrontation. Protesters threw fist-sized stones at authorities, forcing police to take cover behind armored vehicles. In response, police deployed water cannons against the crowd. The situation escalated further as hundreds of protesters breached the hotel grounds, leading to a police chase and multiple arrests inside the facility. Previous reports have indicated that the unrest resulted in injuries to a deputy minister.
What may happen next
Following the successful seizure and the subsequent unrest, the future of the hotel’s operations and the personnel currently on-site remains uncertain. While the court has asserted control over the property, the legal and operational status of the hotel staff and remaining occupants is likely to be a subject of upcoming discussions. Given the intensity of the June 18 clash, authorities may be expected to maintain a heightened security presence at the Gelora Bung Karno complex to prevent further unauthorized entry or property damage.