Jokowi diploma controversy sparks trial of Dr. Tifa in Jakarta

Prosecutors allege that a social‑media post by PSI member Dian Sandi on 1 April 2025 showing a copied diploma of President Joko Widodo triggered a nationwide debate over the authenticity of the president’s bachelor's degree. The Jakarta Metropolitan Police’s forensic lab reportedly found the document matched 14 comparison diplomas from University of Gadjah Mada alumni.

On 2 July 2026, Dr. Tifauzia Tyassuma, known as “Dokter Tifa,” appeared before the East Jakarta District Court for the first hearing in a case accusing her of defamation, slander and violations of Indonesia’s Information and Electronic Transactions Law (ITE). The indictment also includes Roy Suryo and several others as suspects. The court heard that eight people are charged in two clusters, with Dr. Tifa facing multiple penal code articles and ITE provisions.

Dr. Tifa’s legal team, led by Aziz Yanuar, argued that the charges are procedurally engineered and discriminatory, noting that only five of the 28 social‑media posts cited as evidence were actually made by Dr. Tifa. The defence maintains that the prosecution’s evidence is insufficient and that the case exemplifies a broader political dispute over the president’s credentials.