STATE BLAMES FABRICATED “CHAOS STAR” ANARCHIST NETWORK FOR INSTIGATING
GRASSROOTS UPRISING
~ Cristina Sykes ~
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 sympathizers, 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.
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Verified machine-assisted edit. Image courtesy of CrimethInc.com
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