Crackdown in Indonesia, Anarchists Appeal for Solidarity, by Cristina Sykes – 27 October 2025

State blames fabricated “Chaos Star” anarchist network for instigating grassroots uprising

Anarchists in Indonesia are calling for international support for comrades imprisoned and tortured following the August uprisings. In the wake of mass protests against corruption and inequality, around 900 people are being detained and named as suspects, many of them anarchists or sympathisers, spread across various cities.

The latest solidarity call named over 40 anarchists arrested in West Java, accused of being part of the so-called “Chaos Star” network, which the government describes as a “foreign-backed anarchist group”. According to an activist source, the arrests were triggered by social media posts showing actions such as Molotov cocktail attacks.

The detainees face charges ranging from property destruction to online incitement. While many are still awaiting trial, some of the accused face up to 20 years in prison. The imprisoned comrades have been isolated, and their access to legal representation has been severely restricted. Many are young, and their families report widespread torture and abuse, with some forced to give false confessions.

Among those accused of “leading” the network and the recent anarchist uprisings are Bima Satria Putra, an anarchist jailed since 2021 on cannabis charges. Recently transferred to solitary confinement at Lapas Merah Mata, his family and lawyers have been blocked from seeing him. Another is Reyhard Rumbayan, known as Eat, who was arrested in Makassar on 23 September 2025 and is currently held in solitary confinement and denied contact with others.

The unrest began in August 2025, when widespread anger against former military leader Prabowo Subianto’s regime sparked protests that quickly turned violent, and later spread to Nepal and the Philippines as well as Morocco, Madagascar and Peru. The Indonesian government has since responded with mass arrests, media manipulation, and brutal policing.

The crackdown is seen as part of a broader government effort to suppress anarchist movements, echoing past anti-communist purges. International solidarity is crucial, as anarchists call on supporters to send letters and postcards to the imprisoned comrades.

Originally published in Freedom magazine.

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