Indonesia’s government has said former national police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo may have committed “treason” through his alleged role in tapping President Prabowo Subianto’s phone.
Presidential spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi told reporters in Jakarta on Wednesday that the alleged wiretapping could have put the president’s safety and sensitive state information at risk. He said the motive remained unclear.
"This also constitutes actions that endanger the security of the interests of the state, including jeopardising the safety of the country’s leader," he said.
Prasetyo said the reason for the wiretap was not yet known.
"When we talk about the head of state... there is a great deal of information there that is naturally very sensitive, which could endanger... the interests and the strength of the nation and the state," he said.
Prasetyo added the president had expressed his "profound concern" about the case.
Police announced on Tuesday that they had arrested Listyo and two other senior officers. They said the alleged targets also included government officials, politicians, journalists, representatives of non-governmental organisations and businesspeople.
Investigators said the alleged wiretapping began in 2025, when Listyo led the national police.
Increasing pressure
Top detective Asep Safrudin said this was done "without any legal basis or without any investigative or inquiry process in accordance with applicable laws".
Prabowo, who took office in 2024, has come under increasing pressure for his government's handling of the economy and destructive wildfires in the Southeast Asian archipelago.
The former general reshuffled his cabinet for a seventh time last month, appointing Listyo, 57, as his chief of staff.
Listyo had until then served as national police chief during the period of the alleged wiretapping that investigators said started in 2025.
