Civil society groups raise concerns over frozen AMPB bank account

The freezing of a Bank Mandiri account belonging to Supriyono, coordinator of the Aliansi Masyarakat Pati Bersatu (AMPB), has sparked concerns regarding freedom of expression ahead of planned national demonstrations on August 27, 2026. The account, which contained approximately Rp80.9 million in personal funds and donations intended for protest logistics, was blocked following a request from law enforcement.

Bank Mandiri apologized for the incident, stating the action followed legal requests and corporate governance principles, though it did not specify the underlying criminal investigation or the existence of a court order. The Civil Society Coalition has criticized the move, arguing that law enforcement requests alone do not justify arbitrary account freezes without clear legal standing.

Agus Santoso, a former deputy head of the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), warned that such incidents could undermine public trust in the banking system. He emphasized that any restriction on customer access must be transparent and accountable to prevent the perception that bank accounts can be frozen without clear justification.