January 8, 2026
JAKARTA – The death of a protester detained after the anti-government protest in late August in Surabaya, East Java, has drawn scrutiny from rights activists over prisoner neglect in detention centers and the state’s failure to protect those in its custody.
Alfarisi, 21, protester who was arrested after nationwide protests over economic inequality and lawmakers’ lavish allowance in August, died at the Surabaya Detention Center on the morning of Dec. 30. He reportedly suffered from a seizure before being taken to the facility’s clinic.
The Surabaya chapter of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras Surabaya), which assisted nine protesters detained during the August protests in the city including Alfarisi, said it received the news of his death from a family member on the same day.
According to Kontras Surabaya coordinator Fatkhul Khoir, the group and Alfarisi’s family did not receive any clear explanation regarding his cause of death.
“The circumstances surrounding his death remain suspicious, as there has been no official explanation from officials at the detention center regarding the cause,” Fatkhul said on Tuesday.
Kontras Surabaya raised concerns over the handling of Alfarisi’s medical emergency, highlighting the time gap between the reported seizure at dawn and his death at around 6 a.m. Alfarisi’s family, who received his body on the day of his death, also told Kontras Surabaya they observed bruising on his chest.
During the family’s last visit on Dec. 24, they reported no apparent health issues seen on Alfarisi, except for a drastic weight loss of up to 40 kilograms. Kontras Surabaya further said the detainee was struggling with psychological distress during his time at the detention facility.
The rights group claimed the detention center “failed to meet minimum standards for detention conditions and health services in the center”, citing the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, also known as the Nelson Mandela Rules, that outline the state’s obligations towards prisoners’ health.
“The absence of any prior information on serious medical conditions, combined with reports of severe physical deterioration, strengthens allegations of structural negligence in Indonesia’s prison system and detention practices,” Kontras Surabaya wrote in a statement.
The group called on the government to conduct an independent investigation into Alfarisi’s death and open all information regarding the incident, while evaluating health services at the Surabaya Detention Center and others across the country.
Human rights group Amnesty International Indonesia also condemned the incident, with executive director Usman Hamid describing the death as a “strong warning” of the humanitarian crisis in the legal and justice system.
The fact that Alfarisi had a fatal seizure without any history of serious illness before detention may indicate structural negligence by authorities in the detention center, he went on to say.
“Alfarisi died before he had the chance to defend himself, therefore an independent and transparent investigation is needed,” Usman said, calling for authorities to open access to information and pursue legal accountability for any negligence contributing to the death.
Previously, Surabaya Detention Center head Tristiantoro Adi Wibowo confirmed that Alfarisi died after having a seizure. The doctor’s report indicated a condition of respiratory failure, he said on Dec. 30, as quoted by Tempo.co.
Tristiantoro added the detainee was often sick and had seizures several times before.
Representatives of the Surabaya Detention Center did not respond to The Jakarta Post’s request for further comment on the matter.
The Surabaya Police arrested Alfarisi at his home on Sept. 9 for alleged criminal offenses related to possession of firearms, ammunition or explosives during the anti-government protests in the East Java provincial capital.
He was slated to hear the prosecutor’s sentence demand at the Surabaya District Court on Monday. But his trial was terminated following his death before judges delivered their sentences.
When asked about the possibility for further inspection on allegations of neglect, Immigrations and Correction Ministry’s correction directorate general spokesperson Rika Aprianto told the Post on Tuesday: “The Surabaya Detention Center has implemented emergency response measures and provided health care in accordance with the standard operating procedures.”