Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has sacked his chief of staff, a day after the official was arrested alongside two top police officers on suspicion of wiretapping the president, his ministers and others, Reuters reports. Presidential spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi told reporters that the alleged wiretapping could constitute treason and endanger state security.

Who was arrested

Police did not name the suspects and disclosed only their initials, LSP, AHN and EH, but Reuters confirmed with the Government that the recently appointed chief of staff, Listyo Sigit Prabowo, was among those detained. Listyo Sigit Prabowo, who is not related to the president, was national police chief until becoming the president's chief of staff last month. Local media identified the other two suspects as Ahrie Sonta Nasution, head of the national police legal division, and Eko Hadi Santoso, a senior officer at the national police educational institution. Reuters said it could not immediately contact the suspects or their lawyers.

What police allege

The three, all senior police officers, are accused of illegally tapping the phones of the president, state officials, political figures, mass organisation leaders, media, non-governmental organisations and business people, according to Asep Safrudin, head of the national police crimes unit. The interception is alleged to have started in 2025, about two months after Prabowo took office, and continued into this year. Police said the suspects allegedly violated laws on illegal interception, unauthorised access to electronic systems and deleting electronic data, carrying maximum prison terms of up to 10, six and eight years respectively. Police have questioned 13 people and are investigating whether others were involved.

What is not yet established

Senior legal affairs minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra told a separate briefing that the Government had yet to determine a motive or find evidence linking the suspects to treason, and that the investigation remained at an early stage. The president's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday, Reuters reports. The allegations are therefore unproven at this stage, and no finding of treason has been made.

Sources: Reuters, Indonesia president sacks chief of staff over alleged wiretap, 4 November 2026; Reuters, Indonesia arrests chief of staff, top policemen for alleged wiretapping of president, 4 November 2026.