Indonesian Influencer Detained in Myanmar May Not Be Criminal, House Member Suggests

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A member of the House of Representatives (DPR) Defense Commission, Tubagus Hasanuddin, provided an update on an Indonesian citizen, identified by the initials AP, who was arrested by Myanmar authorities on December 20, 2024. AP is reportedly an Instagram celebrity in Indonesia.

Hasanuddin said that Myanmar authorities are still investigating the alleged crime committed by AP. "The investigation is still being carried out by local authorities. So it's not final. [It's not yet determined] whether he was truly involved or not," he said at the parliamentary complex in Jakarta on Wednesday, July 2, 2025.

Hasanuddin noted that the DPR continues to coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to monitor the situation's development. The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle politician highlighted that Myanmar is a volatile country due to ongoing armed conflict with local populations.

Therefore, according to him, what happened to AP cannot be separated from Myanmar's geopolitical situation. Moreover, given the physical similarities between Indonesian and Myanmar citizens, he suspects that AP could be a victim of false arrest.

"It could be true [false arrest], it could also be wrong. Yes, just like in Indonesia, people are suspected of being terrorists. Then, after further investigation, it turns out there is no evidence," he explained.

However, he urged the public not to speculate and to await official news from the government. He stressed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains in constant communication with the Indonesian Ambassador to Myanmar.

Previously, Myanmar sentenced AP to seven years in prison. According to an official statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, AP was accused of illegally entering Myanmar and meeting with an armed group categorized as a banned organization by local authorities.

For these allegations, AP faced several charges, including those under the Anti-Terrorism Law, the 1947 Immigration Law, and Section 17(2) of the Unlawful Associations Act. AP is currently serving his sentence at Insein Prison, Yangon, one of the high-security detention facilities under the authority of the Myanmar military junta.

Judha Nugraha, Director of Citizens Protection at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that assistance had been provided intensively since the first day of the detention.

"The Indonesian Embassy in Yangon has made various protection efforts, including sending diplomatic notes, conducting consular access and direct assistance during examinations, ensuring the defense of lawyers, and facilitating communication between AP and his family," he said in a written statement on Tuesday night.

The seven-year prison sentence was handed down after a trial process conducted under a judicial system fully controlled by the Myanmar military. After the verdict became final (inkracht), the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Indonesian Embassy in Yangon facilitated the clemency request submitted by AP's family.

Editor’s Choice: Indonesian Influencer Sentenced to 7 Years by Myanmar Junta Over Rebel Group Ties

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