Jakarta police halt probe into death of young Indonesian diplomat

 Jakarta metropolitan police have halted their investigation into the death of a young Indonesian foreign ministry diplomat, saying they found no evidence of a crime, authorities said 

Police ended the probe after investigators reviewed evidence and witness statements and found no criminal act during a case review, Jakarta police spokesman Budi Hermanto said.

He added investigators would reopen the case if the family submitted new and valid evidence for further examination.

The decision was conveyed in a formal notice from Jakarta police criminal investigators to the family, dated Jan. 6, 2026, with reference number B/63/I/RES.1.24/2026/Ditreskrimum.

Earlier, the family’s lawyer, Nicholay Aprilindo, had asked police to hold a formal case review into the death of Arya Daru Pangayunan.

Nicholay said on Nov. 26, 2025, that police had never conducted a full case review, based on information provided by Jakarta police.

He said police had only held a news conference on July 29, 2025, to announce expert conclusions, without a comprehensive review process.

Nicholay said the family wanted a case review and for the matter to be elevated to a formal investigation to allow legal measures against anyone suspected of involvement.

Arya Daru Pangayunan was found dead in his rented room in Jakarta’s Menteng district on July 8, 2025, police said.

His face was wrapped in tape or plastic, while the room showed no signs of struggle, with the bed neatly arranged and no visible blunt-force injuries.

The room was secured with a smart-lock system, raising questions about how anyone could have accessed it, police and the family said.

Arya Daru’s wife, Meta Ayu Puspitantri, earlier appealed to President Prabowo Subianto to ensure the case was investigated thoroughly and transparently.

She publicly urged the president, the national police chief, and the foreign minister to ensure the case was resolved honestly and fairly, speaking in Yogyakarta on Sept. 27, 2025.

The case has drawn attention from Indonesia’s National Police Commission, which said it was closely monitoring how authorities handled the investigation.

Commission member Yusuf said on Jan. 5, 2026, the body would continue to follow developments and monitor police actions in line with the wishes of the victim’s family.