Chaos in the Archipelago of Fire Part 2
A Compilation of texts from the 2025 insurrection in Indonesia and subsequent Repression part two

Since this zine was compiled in July 2026, the list of prisoners may be outdated, check in with counter-info resources for updated information.

Other texts on anarchism in Indonesia:

Introduction

In August and September 2025, an insurrection struck the Indonesian archipelago, engulfing in its flames many police stations, cop cars, both national and local government buildings, parliament members’ homes, businesses, and more. This revolt notably involved many anarchists, insurrectionary and direct action-oriented tendencies being particularly common.

To avenge itself, the Indonesian State launched a grand hunt for anarchists all throughout the country, after which several dozen anarchist comrades have been arrested and imprisoned. Two cases in particular have been at the center of attention: that of 16 anarchists suspected of Molotov cocktail attacks in Jakarta, and that against 44 anarchists suspected of direct actions and attempts at insurrection in an organization created by the State from scratch, called “Chaos Star,” in reference to the strong anarcho-nihilist tendency in the country.

This zine compiles many texts published online about the situation of anarchist prisoners in recent months in order to give them all our solidarity wherever we are. Spread information, write them letters, organize financial solidarity.

Fire to the Prisons!

Death to the State!

Long Live Anarchy!

Part 1: Updates on Repression, January — May 2026

New Anarchist Prisoners

January 6, 2026

On September 16, 2025, 14 individuals were arrested by the Bali Police on charges of vandalizing buildings and vehicles in the area of the Bali Police Headquarters and the Bali Regional Representative Council during the August 30 demonstration.

Since September, 288 people have been arrested for the August uprising in Surabaya, East Java, some of whom have since been released in poor condition, since the police tortured them badly for three days. This leaves around 80 people who remain imprisoned in Surabaya, including approximately 30 accused anarchists there. This week, some of them will undergo their first trial. The case in Surabaya is particularly sad because many of those arrested are ordinary people, such as workers or motorcycle taxi drivers who happened to be in the vicinity of the riots. Some were simply watching the riots but were then arrested sporadically. Although they were eventually released in a battered state, some of their property, such as their cell phones, was not returned by the police. Motorcycle taxi drivers did not even get back the motorcycles they used to make a living.

In addition, the police continue to arrest anyone proven to have been involved in the August demonstrations, especially students and activists in various cities. This time, they used infiltrators in the movement to map out targets for arrest. As a result, many people are paranoid and suspicious of each other.

This also reveals the fact that power is fragile and unstable, as the political crisis that already existed within the state’s power structure was exacerbated by the impact of last August’s riots. The ruling elites, divided into two major blocs, blame each other and strengthen their respective forces. As a result, various new repressive laws, such as the revision of the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP) that expands the authority of the police, have been passed in the interests of power and to quell potential threats. This explains why sporadic arrests of civilians continue to this day. On January 2, 2026, the KUHAP law will kick in, which will give the police more leeway to arrest people without solid evidence up front (especially in the early ‘inquiry’ phase before a crime’s fully confirmed). Critics are saying it will lead to more arbitrary arrests and police overreach, like more searches and detentions without any strong checks on their power. It is suspected that this law will be used to crackdown on the remaining anarchists and others who don’t conform. There’s considerable hostility building against this repressive law.

On December 23, 2025, an individualist anarchist was arrested in Makassar. His name is Amal. Amal was held at the police station in Makassar until January 12, 2026. He is accused of burning down a police station in Makassar five years ago. His case was opened through an investigation based on information from a suspected informant / infiltrator, according to the files. Amal was arrested at his home. An hour later, the police raided a discussion forum on the environmental crisis held in a collective space called “Munisipal Kongsi Dagang.” The name of the event was ‘Prelude to a Disaster.’ The pretext was a drug raid, but in fact they were taken to be witnesses against Amal and later released.

Update on the condition of prisoners in the “Chaos Star” case:

As of December 23, 2025, 42 prisoners have been transferred to the prosecutor’s detention facility (Kebon Waru prison) in preparation for their court hearings.

All of them were accused of assaulting police officers and committing violence in public under Articles 170 (violence in public), 214 (collective resistance), and 406 (destruction of private property) of the Indonesian Criminal Code. Most of these prisoners are ordinary people who have no connection to anarchist-individualists / nihilists, victims of arbitrary arrests by the police and trials without access to their own lawyers.

Post-August Mass Action Manhunt in Surakarta (Solo): Arrest of Comrades Riky & Kipli

January 6, 2026

As the authoritarian regime of Prabowo and Gibran tightens its grip on Indonesia, dissent has erupted across the nation. What began as a mass wave of protests against corruption, oppression, and systemic violence has turned into an unrelenting campaign of state-sponsored repression. In the streets, solidarity movements bloomed in the wake of a tragic event: the brutal killing of Affan, an online motorcycle driver run over by a Brimob [Mobile Brigade Corps–Special operations, a paramilitary and tactical unit of the Indonesian National Police] armored vehicle during a protest in Jakarta. This act of violence ignited an even greater fire of resistance, yet it also marked the beginning of a systematic crackdown on comrades, journalists, and anyone challenging the regime.

Two comrades from Solo, Rizky Ardiansyah, known as Riky, and Muhammad Rafli Andriansyah, or Kipli, were among the first to fall victim to the regime’s wave of arrests. The two were arrested in November for their involvement in a mass action in August at the Brimob Headquarters, Battalion C Pelopor, Manahan, Solo. They were charged with a range of serious offenses, including alleged property destruction and involvement in creating incendiary devices such as Molotov cocktails, accusations that were heavily inflated and fueled by visual evidence obtained by the police.

But the real story here is not just about the charges. They are a smokescreen, a tool used by the state to criminalize dissent and stifle the growing resistance. Both Riky and Kipli now face trial in Surakarta, with their hearings set for January 2026, but their plight is a reflection of a much larger reality: the state’s war against anyone who dares to oppose it.

The arrest of Riky on November 2, 2025, came well after the protests had died down. The authorities targeted him not because of immediate involvement in any crimes but because he symbolized the broader movement that was challenging the regime. Riky, simply hanging out at Taman Tirtonadi [a nice park which is a meet-up spot and skatepark], became a target because he refused to be silenced. The arrest was a clear sign that the state’s repression was not just reactive—it was premeditated and politically motivated.

Similarly, two days after Riky’s arrest, Kipli was taken from his home in the middle of the night, a typical move to instill fear. The police claimed they had visual documentation linking him to the protests, but such flimsy evidence only served to underscore the illegitimacy of the charges brought against both of them.

Riky and Kipli’s families have reported disturbing signs of physical abuse and torture following their arrests. According to family members, the two comrades were subjected to violent beatings with canes and hoses during their detention. Their bodies were left bruised and battered, evidence of the lengths the state will go to in order to crush resistance. These tactics are not anomalies—they are part of a broader strategy by the regime to intimidate, torture, and silence those who refuse to comply.

Such brutality is a reflection of the authoritarian nature of the Prabowo–Gibran government, a government that will stop at nothing to maintain its control, even if it means using violence and terror to quash any opposition.

The case of Riky and Kipli is not a criminal case—it is a political one. This is the regime’s attempt to criminalize the very act of protest and dissent. Their trial is a clear example of how the legal apparatus has been weaponized by the state to protect its own power rather than serve the people. Riky and Kipli are not criminals; they are comrades who dared to speak out against an oppressive system. They are victims of a legal process that is inherently corrupt, repressive, and politically charged.

Their lawyer, Made Ridho, has condemned the irregularities in their trial, noting that there is no coherent evidence linking the comrades to the crimes they are accused of. The charges are vague, the witnesses unreliable, and the prosecution’s arguments increasingly nonsensical. Despite this, the state is determined to see them convicted, not because they are guilty, but because they represent a threat to the established order.

The arrests of Riky and Kipli are just the beginning. They are part of a broader effort by the state to criminalize political dissent and suppress all forms of resistance. But the arrests of two young comrades is not an isolated event. It is part of a larger campaign of repression designed to silence anyone who challenges the authority of the ruling elite.

The state’s message is clear: protest is illegal, dissent is a crime. But the anarchist movement knows better. We know that the fight for freedom is never easy, but it is a fight worth fighting. The arrest of Riky, Kipli, and others like them is a badge of honor, a testament to their courage in the face of state violence.

In the coming months, the struggle will intensify. We will continue to expose the lies of the state, fight against their oppressive tactics, and stand in solidarity with those who have been wrongfully imprisoned. We will not allow the state to criminalize dissent, and we will not allow them to silence our voices.

The actions of Riky and Kipli were not crimes; they were acts of insurgency against a corrupt and violent system. They are not criminals—they are insurgents, fighters for liberation, autonomy, and freedom. Their trial is not an isolated case—it is a symptom of the larger battle we face against a regime that will stop at nothing to protect its interests.

As long as the state continues to oppress the people, we will continue to resist. And the day will come when the voice of the people will no longer be silenced. This is not just about two comrades; it is about a movement for liberation, for autonomy, and for the dismantling of oppressive hierarchies. We stand with Riky, Kipli, and all those who dare to challenge the oppressive power of the state. Our resistance will not be crushed. Our voices will be heard.

FOR THE BLACK INTERNATIONAL

Going Underground / F.A.A.F [Free Association of Autonomous Fires]

Note: these two comrades are not part of F.A.A.F

Urgent Update on the Health of Eat & Dena, Imprisoned Anarchists in the “Chaos Star” Case

January 22, 2026

We received information that imprisoned anarchist comrades Eat (Reyhard Rumbayan) and Dena (Maditya Dena), part of the fabricated “Chaos Star” case, are still being held in the West Java paramilitary police compound and that they have badly declined in health. In the case of Eat, severely. Both comrades have an HIV+ diagnosis and are struggling to receive adequate healthcare, food, and nutrition for their serious condition. Eat is suffering constant extreme pain from atrophy in his arm which is paralyzed.

Eat’s condition is in an advanced stage, and we call for increased attention and pressure on his case. We remind everyone that Eat is a long-known anarchist who was imprisoned and took responsibility for the incendiary attack against a bank as part of revolutionary solidarity to Luciano Tortuga’s situation, after the latter was injured in an attempted bombing in Chile, 2011. We will never leave our comrades alone inside the prison and we will seek our vengeance.

We hold the Indonesian regime responsible for the abuse, the torture, the lives of our comrades.

After the uprising in August 2025, the anarchist movement is being blamed for causing the unrest, but this conceals the fact that the mass popular insurrection did not belong to the anarchists, it belonged to everyone. From Iran, to Indonesia, to the USA, we will fight back!

For international revolutionary solidarity! Free the Prisoners!

Palang Hitam / Anarchist Black Cross (ABC)

Anarchist Comrade Eat Released Under House Arrest

January 22, 2026

Accused anarchist comrade Eat, part of the “Chaos Star” case, has been released from the West Java paramilitary police compound to house / city arrest. Eat is expected to be watched closely by the Densus 88 anti-terrorist unit. Comrades and lawyers went to meet him and help him get nutrition, medicine, and rest. Eat remains under investigation and the case is still open. Here’s what Eat’s lawyer had to say about his status:

Eat was release by law because the detention period during the investigation stage had expired and could not be extended. However, this release is temporary, as the legal process is still ongoing. The case is currently awaiting transfer from the prosecutor’s office. If it proceeds to the prosecution stage, Eat may be detained again and transferred to Kebon Waru Detention Center for trial.

From a substantive standpoint, Eat actually has a legal advantage in this case. The charges and the investigation report do not meet the required legal elements, particularly those related to incitement. There is no clear evidence of any direct call or instruction to organize or carry out last year’s protest, as alleged. Because of this, the prosecutors themselves are hesitant to move the case forward to court.

This hesitation has also influenced the investigator’s decision not to pursue a second case involving Eat and another named comrade. We thank everyone for their solidarity and support. Without international pressure, we do not believe that Eat would have been released.

Nothing is over. Eat could be re-arrested. There are another 73 accused anarchists and hundreds of prisoners of the uprising still detained. Yet this is a major success, since the Densus 88 wanted to scapegoat Eat as the organizational figurehead and leader of the fake “Chaos Star” network and of the insurrection itself.

Please remain attentive to the health condition and legal process of Eat and that of the other prisoners. Anarchist comrade Dena remains in the West Java compound, and is also ill from lack of HIV medication. Take action and donate to Palang Hitam / ABC Indonesia. We don’t have enough support to adequately provide infrastructure to such a large number of prisoners at a time when the anarchist movement is under attack in Indonesia. To donate, contact Dark Nights, IWOC UK, or any long-running established ABC group.

Fire to the prisons!

Palang Hitam / ABC

News from the Trial of the Comrades in Bandung

February 10, 2026

Six comrades from the “Political Expression-Hunting Cluster” (also often referred to as the “Chaos Star” case) have undergone sentencing today. The outcome of the trial is that comrades AD and MNT were sentenced by the prosecutor to 3 years in prison. Meanwhile, comrades RFK, TAP, MJF, and RS were sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison.

A few words from a letter sent by a comrade involved in the “Chaos Star” case:

We are particles of an entity called disorder, which is supposed to exist within the spectrum of defiance as our wild instinct, as unique and lazy Individuals!

No one is free until everyone is free.

Going Underground / F.A.A.F

Trial Updates of Political / Anarchist Prisoners in Bandung

February 13, 2026

On February 2, the “Cyber-Hunting Cluster” underwent sentencing at the Bandung District Court. Nine comrades—Arfa, Azriel, Deni, Muhibuddin, Moch Sidik, Rifa Rahnabilla, Rifal, Rizky, and Yusuf—were found guilty and sentenced to 6 months in prison, with time served taken into account by the judges.

Then, on February 12, the comrades from the “Admin-Hunting Cluster”—Komar, Abul, and Dana (Black Bloc Zone)—also underwent sentencing at the Bandung District Court. They were found guilty and sentenced to 6 months in prison, with time served taken into account by the judges.

We will provide an update on the “Political Expression-Hunting Cluster” (“Chaos Star” case) as soon as their sentencing and verdicts are finalized.

No one is free until everyone is free.

Going Underground / F.A.A.F

Tasikmalaya Regency Pipe Bomb Case Begins & Komar is Arrested

March 10, 2026

On February 26, the trial began for another section of the comrades of the “Chaos Star” case (Adit, Opal, Pem, Herdi, and Hugo [informant]). This case is about a pipe bomb that exploded and destroyed a police post in Gentong, Tasikmalaya Regency in December 2024. The action was claimed by the Free Association of Autonomous Fires. The communique can be found in the Blessed Is The Flame chronicle and was also published on Dark Nights. The action was declared in solidarity with Alfredo Cospito, Nikos Romanos, and all anarchist prisoners.

The comrades are being threatened with up to 25 years in prison. The anti-terrorist unit, Densus 88, tortured the comrades severely, including trying to damage their sight. The prosecutors maintain they have everything they need for a conviction, as well as the words of a snitch, Hugo. On early February 15, police officers from the Criminal Investigation Unit of the West Java Regional Police Headquarters went to Kebon Waru prison because Hugo reported that there was a threat to his life. These are the police that paid him as he coldly smoked cigarettes during the torture of our comrades and gave his “evidence”. All of these comrades remain imprisoned in Kebon Waru.

On March 8, we received the latest information that our comrade Ainun K “Komar” (a “Chaos Star” prisoner) was supposed to be released from the detention center in Bandung, but was immediately re-arrested by the Surabaya City Police (Polrestabes Surabaya) on suspicion of incitement through the Instagram account Black Bloc Zone. This new kidnapping comes as Komar has already been imprisoned for five months on the same charge in West Java. The Surabaya police are using the new laws which require less evidence and judicial process to revenge our comrade. Many of the imprisoned comrades are due for release but the tactics of the police bastards have to be confronted. What is particularly ridiculous is the accusation against Komar, is that he is responsible for the mass insurrection which took place in Surabaya, which completely humiliated the police and lead to their facilities being widespread destroyed. Free Komar now!

Palang Hitam / ABC

Release Komar — Stop the Repression

March 11, 2026

Our anarchist comrade Komar (Muhammad Ainun Komarullah) was arrested by police from Surabaya when he was released from Kebon Waru prison after serving a sentence for instigation related to the Black Bloc Zone blog and Instagram account. The arrest by the Surabaya police is a vindictive revenge against Komar, due to the fierce and humiliating clashes that took place in that locality. Hundreds of young people, delivery drivers, taxi drivers and precarious workers were rounded up in the aftermath of the anti-state uprising and brutally tortured. Police violence cannot hide the fact that the regime uses systematic torture. Let’s not leave this comrade alone in the hands of the police, write to Komar, send solidarity mail.

FREE KOMAR! FREE THE PRISONERS!

THE STATE IS THE TERRORIST

Palang Hitam / (ABC)

Anarchist Comrade Dena Transferred to Kebon Waru Prison Before Trial

March 12, 2026

Imprisoned anarchist comrade and rapper, Dena (Maditya Dena) a.k.a Apip a.k.a Scoobydoomz, has been transferred to Kebon Waru prison in Bandung from West Java paramilitary police headquarters. This has finally occurred due to his charges being filed with the court. Dena is accused of the destruction of Hana Bank in Bandung, along with comrade Adit, who is also accused in the same case and faces trial. Dena is suffering with health condition related to his HIV+ status and in prison it is difficult to consistently obtain the medications, which costs money. Dena had been kept isolated from the rest of “Chaos Star” comrades. It is expected that Dena and Adit will face two years or less for the property destruction, however Adit also faces 25 years for the bombing of a police outpost, in an adjacent trial, relating to an action in 2024.

Fire to the prisons! Fire to the state!

Palang Hitam / ABC

Trial Updates on the Anarchist Prisoners in Bandung (the “Chaos Star” Case and the Gentong Explosives Attack Case)

April 14, 2026

Five anarchist prisoners, namely Albi, Pem, Herdi, Adit, and Naufal, have undergone a hearing for the reading of the charges by the panel of judges on Friday, April 10, 2026. There are still two more hearings scheduled for the five of them: the defence hearing (plea) on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, and the verdict hearing (TBA). The charges given by the judges to the five comrades are as follows:

— Albi: One year, reduced by the time the defendant has spent in detention.

— Herdi: One year and six months, reduced by the time the defendant has spent in detention.

— Adit: Two years, reduced by the time the defendant has spent in detention.

— Naufal: Two years, reduced by the time the defendant has spent in detention.

In other news, regarding Dena a.k.a Apip a.k.a Scoobydoomz, this comrade will undergo his first hearing (after over 100 days of uncertainty and delays) on Thursday, April 16, 2026.

No one is free until all are free

Going Underground

Trial Update on Comrade Komar in Surabaya (“Chaos Star” Case)

April 14, 2026

After being arrested by the West Java Police in September 2025 and serving a six-month sentence at Kebon Waru Prison in Bandung, Comrade Komar was once again arrested by the Surabaya City Police on March 9, 2026, under charges of incitement. The new charges stem from different documents related to protests in Surabaya during August–September 2025, as well as involvement with the Black Bloc Zone account on social media.

It is worth noting that during his trial in Bandung, Comrade Komar it was already disclosed that his actions did not meet the criteria for criminal offenses.

On Thursday, April 16, 2026, Comrade Komar will face his first hearing at the Surabaya District Court. Let us show solidarity for Komar, and for all anarchist prisoners in Indonesia.

No one is free until everyone is free.

Going Underground

Update on the Trials of Bandung Anarchist Prisoners (“Chaos Star” Case)

April 18, 2026

On April 16, 2026, the verdicts were delivered for five of our comrades at the Bandung District Court. The details are as follows:

— Albi: sentenced to 6 months in prison for the Bandung uprising in August–September 2026.

— Pem: sentenced to 9 months in prison for the arson attack on the police post in Gentong, West Java.

— Herdi: sentenced to 9 months in prison for the arson attack on the police post in Gentong, West Java.

— Nopal: sentenced to 1 year in prison for the arson attack on the police post in Gentong, West Java.

— Adit: sentenced to 1 year in prison for the arson attack on the police post in Gentong, West Java.

Also, the first trial of our comrade Dena, also known as Apip or Scoobydoomz, has been postponed and is now scheduled for April 24, 2026.

This trial marks the beginning of proceedings against comrades involved in the arson of Hana Bank during protests against the Indonesian Military Bill in March 2025. Adit, Nopal, and Jalus may face further trials for separate charges.

Note: Adit and Nopal have already faced two trials on different charges, and the combined sentences they currently face total three years in prison, not including the upcoming verdict for the Hana Bank arson in Bandung.

Gregorius Hugo, also known as Bake or Bex (informant), received only 7 months and 15 days—a sentence that can be considered virtually a free pass due to time already served in police and prosecution custody. This light sentence, despite his key involvement in the Gentong case, confirms his role as an informant / dead fucking snitch and his cooperation with the authorities! We advise international networks to cut ties with him.

For anarchy and the black international!

Going Underground

Update on “Chaos Star” Prisoners

May 10, 2026

Update on releases of some of the “Chaos Star” prisoners, plus the news that Komar (from Black Block Zone) has written an important letter, which is being translated and will be published in the next days. Komar is still imprisoned in Surabaya and the “Chaos Star” prisoners are in Kebon Waru.

— Pem and Herdi are expected to be released in approximately 30 days.

— Jalus, Iyonk, Rexi, and TB are expected to be released in July.

The remaining detainees are Nopal and Adit, both sentenced to 3 years.

Meanwhile, Dena is still undergoing trial proceedings, which have currently reached the witness testimony stage. Dena is expected to undergo approximately five more hearings before sentencing, with an estimated sentence of 1 to 2 Years.

Chaos Star

Part 2: Communiques from Anarchist Prisoners

“We Exist Outside Your Order!” Communique from Anarchist Prisoners in Indonesia

December 27, 2025

This is a mechanical landscape scrubbed clean of empathy: a world of loudspeakers barking orders, cell doors slamming shut in a rhythm as regular as the state’s working hours, and human despair echoing off concrete walls—then rebranded as “national security.”

Most people inside eventually learn to make peace with it—or more precisely, to surrender—through the cheapest deal in human history: freedom and human dignity traded for pocket-change wages, temporary exit permits, parole promises that are always “tomorrow,” or sometimes nothing at all except the illusion of order. The state calls it rehabilitation; we call it a desperate transaction.

All the seminars, reports, and speeches about “humanizing prisons” are nothing but post-riot décor—polite language to cover wounds that are still bleeding. This system was never designed for humans, so talking about humanization inside it is just a bureaucratic joke. The options are simple and deliberately narrowed: submit and become a number, or refuse to be treated as property.

In that refusal, we hear knocks from behind the walls—not just sounds, but signals from social circles that have also learned to distrust official narratives. We meet those who still nurture a desire for freedom amid the ruins of public trust. We’re not ashamed of this choice, nor do we regret the relationships that grew from it, even if the outcomes are far from success posters. What’s abundant instead is stupidity: confidence wrapped in uniforms, noise backed by batons, and a sense of power borrowed from delegated authority. Of course, there will always be armchair analysts quick to label it a failure.

But our definition of success is different. We succeeded in breaking away from resignation—from the role of the obedient prisoner, from cheaply distributed sedatives, from wage incentives packaged as hope, from the fantasy of leave and parole sold like loyalty programs. In the middle of all that, we chose to take a stance—not as post-riot statistics, but as thinking subjects.

If the job of guards and judges is to shut doors and tidy up archives, then our task is to remind them that doors never fully seal off meaning. Bodies may be confined, but existence can still slip past the fence—even if only briefly—by seizing space for interpretation within the machine itself. This experience is not generic. And no, we don’t regret it.

Because what we fight for is not freedom as defined by legal pamphlets or moral values that shift with every press conference. This is a freedom that doesn’t fit into articles of law, doesn’t sit comfortably in courtrooms, and can’t be stamped shut by the state. Out there, people fall to accidents, addiction, and work-related illnesses legalized by economic necessity. Others die slowly from boredom and isolation, drowning in obedient routines praised as stability. Amid the post-August 29 wreckage, we chose to stake our lives on a leap—without safety nets, without promises of compensation. Nothing is more honest than that choice.

Maybe today we lost a round. But the war over meaning isn’t over. Our eyes stay forward.

The future always arrives carrying new projects, friendships that don’t pass protocol, collaborations that unsettle order, and opportunities labeled dangerous simply because they can’t be controlled.

In the end, the question isn’t whether you get caught in the chaos, but whether you surrender yourself when the state demands obedience as the only virtue.

Anarchist Prisoners from the Free Association of Autonomous Fires (F.A.A.F.)

Letter from Prison by Comrade Dena a.k.a Apip a.k.a Scoobydoomz

January 13, 2026

Greetings, comrades! I hope this message finds you well. As I write, I’ve just been informed that my case has been submitted to the prosecutor’s office. The police investigator told me I have only a few more days left in this cell. I hope to be transferred to Kebon Waru Prison by the end of this month, where I can reunite with other comrades, even if it’s under the condition of being “imprisoned.”

To those of you outside, trust in the fire burning in your chest—it won’t easily fade if you believe in it. This struggle is fated for anyone who stands by it. We didn’t start this war; we’re simply fighting back! We resist the tyranny of the powerful, the violence of the authorities, the massive land evictions, the monopoly on natural resources, the criminalization of those who speak out, those who defend their rights, indigenous communities, and our fellow comrades. We’re only fighting back against all of that!

Comrades, the actions you take—whether through resistance or defiance—are nothing compared to the injustice they have inflicted upon us. Stay strong and unshaken! Fighting back is the truest form of love.

FULL OF LOVE AND PASSION, OUR SOLIDARITY WITH ALL ANARCHIST PRISONERS ACROSS THE NATION. WE WILL NEVER ABANDON YOU.

West Java Police Headquarters Detention Center — January 13, 2026 – Scoobydoomz

Going Underground / F.A.A.F

Note: Dena, also known by his stage names Apip and Scoobydoomz, is a radical rapper who performs in urban ruins, conflict zones, and similar spaces. He was imprisoned for his role in the destruction of buildings during the protests against the military bill, particularly the burning of Hana Bank in Bandung on March 21, 2025. He is currently grouped under the “Chaos Star” case, classified as a nihilist / egoist / insurrectionist anarchist by the police.

Counter-Info Contributions by Anarchists of the “Chaos Star” Case

March 28, 2026

Contributions from Jasul, Adit and Eat for the solidarity info night in Bristol and London, UK, about the repression after the uprising across the Indonesian archipelago. The contribution can be translated and used for all solidarity events that take place that aim to raise awareness and solidarity about the “Chaos Star” case and the broader reality.

From Jasul and Adit:

Hello comrades, warm greetings from Bandung to Bristol.

We introduce ourselves as prisoners from what is known as the “Chaos Star.” This correspondence carries fragments of memory from years marked by chaos, surveillance, and arrests. We send this message from behind the bars of a prison in—so called—Indonesia. We are currently serving sentences related to the August 2025 unrest, the pipe bomb attack on a police post in December 2024, and the destruction of Bank Hana during the anti–TNI Bill protests in March and May Day 2025.

The unrest last August became the largest manhunt against activists and anarchists since 1998. This year, 703 political prisoners—although we reject that label—are still undergoing legal processes or are detained. We prefer to be called Anarchist Prisoners rather than Political Prisoners. This is an issue we want to critique. The label “political prisoner” places us within certain relations of power: we are framed as symbols of resistance, victims or survivors of a regime, or tools for legitimizing particular political agendas. Instead, we are Anarchist Prisoners. We reject the very foundation of politics itself. Our emphasis is on the autonomy of the subject and individual disobedience, without serving any project or representation tied to political agendas. By using the label Anarchist Prisoners, we assert a distance from the language of power and maintain a position outside the political field that seeks to regulate, define, and justify everything.

Anarchists in Indonesia are facing an extraordinary storm. More than a dozen anarchists have been detained, tortured, and the state is attempting to discipline us by spreading fear. But to us, that is nothing—because we are the storm itself, the disaster made flesh for them. Among us are comrades from Black Bloc Zone, Indonesian Anarchist Black Cross, Contemplative, Katong Press, and many others.

They—our comrades—have appeared like a storm wrapped in fire. Some of us see this moment as a culmination, yet it is neither a beginning nor an end. We gather every flame around us, the flames the state has tried to extinguish.

How many times must we say this: “We can live without the state!” To hell with society! Society is the most perfect tool the state has to preserve itself. We truly, deeply hate society. We believe the dawn of hunger will arrive sooner than expected, marking the beginning of the collapse of the state. To those of you out there: endure, and gather every spark you can find. And to those behind bars—or those who feel imprisoned—you are not alone. Fight! Fight! To hell with winning or losing; what matters is that our eyes remain burning bright in every struggle we face.

One of the starting points that drew us into direct conflict with the state began at the end of 2024. At that time, there was an international call known as Day 1312, understood by some groups as a day of critique against the institution of the police.

On December 13, 2024, there was a global call to action for 1312—an anti-police day, or A.C.A.B (All Cops Are Bastards). One such action took place in Bandung, in front of the Bandung City Police Headquarters. It is no secret that various forms of violence and abuse of power by state apparatus (read: the police) have resulted in human rights violations, one of the most intolerable being the taking of lives. The Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) recorded 602 incidents of violence involving members of the Indonesian National Police (Polri) from July 2024 to June 2025. From the Kanjuruhan tragedy, to Randi and Yusuf, Afif Maulana, Gamma, Affan Kurniawan, to the most recent, Arianto Tawakkal—killed by the police.

As an informal group that condemns all forms of state brutality and pursues theory and practice—through trial and error—of direct action methods to strengthen individuals in reclaiming control over their own lives and using that power to fulfill their own aims, on December 13, 2024, we intended to take part in the 1312 call. However, on that day we were unable to join due to unavoidable circumstances. Eventually, we decided to carry out a direct action on another day—an action conducted individually, separate from demonstrations involving large crowds.

On December 17, 2024, at 02:00 WIB, we planned a spontaneous direct action to throw Molotov cocktails and a pipe bomb at the Letter U Gentong Police Post in Tasikmalaya. After carrying out the action, on December 18, 2024, Naufal and I deliberately fled to East Java, to Jombang and Tulungagung, for several days after seeing news reports that an unknown individual had attacked and burned the police post. The case became serious as Indonesia’s Densus 88 counterterrorism unit became involved in the investigation and crime scene processing. This forced us to ensure we left no trace; in fact, there was no CCTV directly at the police post. The chronology reported in the news was far from the actual facts, which allowed us to breathe a little easier—before a similar action occurred in Makassar.

In January 2025, I received an invitation for a collaborative project from Blessed is the Flame, an anarcho-nihilist/individualist group from Greece, aimed at spreading anarchist propaganda and practices of rebellion internationally. I responded by sending a communique claiming responsibility for the burning of the Letter U Gentong Police Post in Tasikmalaya, as an act of solidarity with Nikos Romanos, Alfredo Cospito, and all anarchist prisoners / FAI–IRF prisoners worldwide.

THE BEGINNING OF SURVEILLANCE AND THE MANHUNT!

On March 31, 2025, the police arrested three of our comrades (MRP (19), MS (19), FSD (18)). The arrests followed a Molotov attack on Traffic Police Post 705 at the intersection of AP Pettarani Street / Sultan Alauddin, Makassar, South Sulawesi. This action was a form of resistance against increasingly oppressive government policies, including the revision of the TNI Law, which expands military control into civilian life—a regressive step that deepens repression.

That night, March 22, 2025, our three comrades approached the post with full awareness that the state only understands the language of real resistance. Molotovs were thrown, flames rose, and within moments the police post became a symbol that people will not remain silent in the face of repression. It did not take long for the authorities to respond. With all their resources and surveillance networks, the police quickly hunted down those responsible. The arrests were carried out systematically, using monitoring technology and their information networks. Our three comrades were eventually captured, handcuffed, and taken in for interrogation.

From March to May, we felt constantly surveilled by police intelligence. Wherever we went, we were watched. On September 4, 2025, we were arrested by Indonesia’s Densus 88 counterterrorism unit along with several police officers at our respective Homes.

The case later known as the Gentong incident was only a small spark within a much broader landscape of conflict. After that, life continued under the shadow of surveillance. We realized the state never truly forgets, and that every event leaves traces that will one day be used again. While some individuals were already on the radar, the situation outside continued to evolve.

At the beginning of the following year, the government pushed forward the revision of the TNI Law. For many, it felt like a step backward—an attempt to reopen space for the military to further penetrate civilian life. Anger that had been scattered began to converge in the streets. Demonstrations erupted across cities, and the social conflict produced by the existence of the state became visible once again.

We claim responsibility for the burning of two Bank Hana ATMs, a Bank Hana office building, a capitalist-owned advertising videotron, and a vehicle belonging to the Indonesian National Armed Forces. These acts took place after demonstrators occupied public space following protests against the ratification of the TNI Law, in Bandung, West Java, on the night of Friday, March 21, 2025. The demonstration in front of the Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) was not ignored by riot police, even as Molotovs, propane gas, stones, and firecrackers were thrown toward the building. In the end, we chose direct action by carrying out burnings at several points mentioned above.

Opposition to the TNI Bill revived long-standing fears about the militarization of civilian space. When students and various groups took to the streets to reject the bill, they faced not only security forces but also the logic of a state always ready to respond to disobedience with repression.

Some time later, as the calendar moved toward May 1, the tension had not subsided. May Day became another space where anger against state control, labor exploitation, and increasingly rigid power once again converged in the streets.

A total of 24 demonstrators, including students and student journalists, were arrested during the May Day protest on May 1, 2025, in Semarang, six of whom were briefly detained as suspects. They were accused of resisting officers and damaging Facilities.

May Day in Bandung left a trail of arrests and unresolved tension. For many, the detention of demonstrators served as a reminder that taking to the streets always means confronting forces ready to suppress it.

Months later, the tension did not disappear—it accumulated beneath the surface. By August 2025, this buildup of social anger finally erupted more widely, making the unrest the peak of a chain of conflicts that had been visible since the early-year protests.

In the end, nothing is ever truly finished. What you call “order” is only a temporary pause in a conflict that continues to pulse beneath the surface. The state may detain bodies, but it can never fully tame the will that refuses to submit. From Gentong, to the streets during the TNI protests, to the August eruption—these are not separate series, but the same pulse in different forms.

We offer no hope, nor do we promise victory. What exists is the slow approach of destruction, and the choice to keep burning within it. If this world is built on control, fear, and obedience, then let it collapse along with all the illusions that sustain it. From behind these bars, we ask for nothing—except one thing: never stop.

Before we close this correspondence, we would like to include a quote from a communiqué we sent during the early days of our imprisonment:

Because what we fight for is not freedom as defined by legal pamphlets or moral values that shift with every press conference. This is a freedom that does not fit within articles of law, does not sit comfortably in courtrooms, and cannot be stamped shut by the state.

Out there, people fall to accidents, addiction, and work-related illnesses legalized by economic necessity. Others die slowly from boredom and isolation, drowning in obedient routines praised as stability. Amid the ruins after August 29, we chose to stake our lives on a leap—without safety nets, without promises of compensation. Nothing is more honest than that choice.

Maybe today we lost a round. But the war over meaning is not over. Our gaze remains forward—and still burning!

***

From Eat:

Greetings. I am a detainee in what is being called the “Chaos Star” case. I was arrested in Makassar on September 23^rd, 2025, by West Java Regional Police, along with dozens of counterterrorism units from Densus 88.

I have been accused of being the mastermind behind the spontaneous uprisings that took place between August and September last year across several cities in Indonesia, particularly Jakarta and Bandung. The authorities also accuse me of inciting acts of vandalism, and of orchestrating a bombing at a police post in West Java in December 2024.

When I was arrested, I was interrogated and tortured throughout the night. They tried to force access to my personal email and questioned me about my friends and their alleged involvement. When I refused to cooperate and chose to remain silent, the officers wrapped a plastic bag over my head to suffocate me, and beat me. This happened several times.

After I was transferred to the West Java Police headquarters, they deliberately tried to isolate me with a state-appointed lawyer so they could claim a legal basis to continue interrogating me, even though I insisted on my right to remain silent.

I believe this arrest is highly political. It serves to protect their image after last year’s unrest, by creating a scapegoat for the fragility of their political system. The events of last year showed that ordinary people can disrupt the state’s control, even if only for a few days.

I cannot deny that the rapid spread of information through technology played a major role. Without platforms like YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, or TikTok, such spontaneous uprisings would have been much harder to organize. But this is also the contradiction: the same technology enables authorities to quickly track, identify, and arrest those involved. Through informants and social media activity they build their narrative, and thus accusing anarchists of being the main culprit, especially the so-called egoist and nihilist circles.

They pressured me to falsely implicate my friends using fabricated evidence and testimony. I refused to co-operate.

For the destruction of techno industrial Civilization

Panjang umur anarki

Open Letter from Imprisoned Anarchist Komar

April 29, 2026

My Friends and brothers and sisters, inside and outside these walls, Peace be upon you.

I’m writing this letter to let you know that, God willing, I’m doing alright. A while ago I came down with a mild fever, but alhamdulillah, I’m still holding on, still under His grace and protection. I hope all of you are safe, healthy, and kept well. Aamiin.

My dear friends,

I’ve lost count of how many letters failed before this one finally made it out. There are barely any writing supplies in here, and when there are, they never last long. Even now, as I write this, I’m still being kept in quarantine. I don’t know for how much longer. Though honestly, I don’t expect anything from being moved to another block. To me, it’s all the same. The only thing I truly want, the only thing I keep hoping for, is FREEDOM. I want to go home. I want to eat my mother’s cooking again. I want to sit with my family.

I’m writing this in a hurry, with very little to work with, so forgive me if my words feel scattered. Prison really does cripple part of the mind.

Recently, I got to see the outside world again, if only for those weekly court hearings. I was unbelievably happy. Emotional, even. Hehe. I got to meet old friends and new ones too. Thank you for coming, for standing in solidarity with me. I love you all.

I also heard that my brother Albi, who was being detained in Bandung, has finally been released. Alhamdulillah. It made me incredibly happy. I pray the others still locked up will soon breathe fresh air again too.

UNTIL EVERYONE IS FREE. UNTIL EVERY PRISON IS FLATTENED TO THE GROUND.

I’ve been imprisoned over the same case again. The moment I got out, ACAB—or what I call a disease—came to pick me up immediately. They traveled all the way from Surabaya just to carry out another ridiculous assignment. I’m sure they got something in return for arresting me. Who knows what. Things like this only make me trust the state even less. The state was never worthy of trust to begin with. LIARS! They will never hesitate to hunt down people who dare to say “no” to them. And maybe, in the end, it only ends with death.

While being held in quarantine, I’ve been trying to survive as best as I can. Life in here is deeply miserable. And it makes me wonder: since when did saying “no” to the state become forbidden? Since when does refusing obedience turn someone into a terrorist, a communist, a traitor, or whatever label they use for people who step out of line? Now let me ask another question: how could dissent not exist, when people are still capable of seeing, hearing, and feeling for themselves?

Look back for a moment—the events in Pati, where people rose against corrupt leaders who challenged and oppressed their own communities. Then the uprisings in August, when masses of protesters were arrested indiscriminately, dragged away like animals. And so many other incidents after that. Wasn’t all of this cultivated by the state itself?

In the middle of economic collapse, widespread poverty, and the looming threat of war, people eventually want only one simple thing: to eat, to survive, not to starve. And when desperation grows deep enough, people begin turning on one another. Killing one another. Consuming one another. Social war becomes inevitable.

The state is not separate from this. It is the hand directing the performance from behind the curtain. Just think about it: people who take their anger to the streets are arrested and charged with destruction, vandalism, disorder, and whatever else they can invent. Then society is split apart into endless sides, pro and contra everywhere. Even those who merely express solidarity online are hunted down and arrested without hesitation. And somehow they are the ones accused of creating chaos and causing harm.

Alright then, let me ask again: who destroyed the forests of Kalimantan, Papua, and countless other islands to turn them into endless palm oil plantations? Who murdered the mountains by drilling into them and extracting their steam, poisoning the water and leaving behind salt, contamination, and ruin? Who built the nickel projects in Sulawesi and drove Indigenous communities off their own land? And Lapindo, the drilling disaster that drowned entire villages and buried lives that can never be recovered, who was responsible for that? Papuan mothers shot at for defending their autonomy. Honestly, there’s so much destruction I couldn’t possibly name it all.

And after all that devastation, what happens? Are the people responsible ever arrested? Ever punished in proportion to the damage they caused? Is there restoration? Can they ever return those places to what they once were? CAN THEY BRING ANY OF IT BACK? No! Because all of it was protected, funded, and planned by the state itself. The contradictions never end. I could go on forever talking about them. But the rest, I think, you can already see and understand for yourselves.

Lastly, I want to thank all of you—my family, my friends, my brothers and sisters. Forgive my terrible handwriting, and forgive me too if these words don’t sound revolutionary enough. Hehe. We’re only separated for a little while. Hopefully one day we’ll meet again under kinder circumstances, in a better time than this. Until then, take care of yourselves. Be more careful out there. I think the road ahead is still very long. Peace be upon you.

Komar
Medaeng Prison, Surabaya
April 29, 2026

Part 3: Solidarity Actions

Yogyakarta Burns Again — Free The Prisoners

February 24, 2026

Yogyakarta Regional Police was visited by students and residents of Yogyakarta. The crowd demanded the release of ALL remaining detainees from the August 2025 uprising. Hundreds of students and residents held a protest in front of the Yogyakarta Regional Police Headquarters on Tuesday (February 24). The demonstration was sparked by anger over the death of a 14-year-old student in Maluku, assaulted by members of the Mobile Brigade Corps (Brimob).The protesters marched from UPN to the Regional Police Headquarters without any written demands or a stage. The protest was described as spontaneous and an expression of disappointed anger. Observations on the ground revealed that the fence on the east side of the Regional Police Headquarters had collapsed. Officers stood guard behind barbed wire to prevent the crowd from entering the police station area. Several police were injured. The people set fires at the police compound, launched fireworks and clashed with police and denounced the police-terror and the Prabowo regime.

Revenge for the prisoners, the tortured, the killed and the disappeared.

Destroy all states — Destroy all police and jailers.

Part 4: Addresses for Anarchist Prisoners

We must ensure our comrades aren’t alone! Send letters of solidarity, love, and rage. Out of the approximately 650 people still detained (either imprisoned or awaiting court decisions) from the August 2025 insurrection, here are two anarchist prisoners who can read English.