Denpasar court hands suspended six-month term to Bali activist Tomy Wiria

Denpasar — — The Denpasar District Court on Thursday, 17 September 2026, found activist Tomy Priatna Wiria guilty in the “Bali Tidak Diam” case and imposed a six-month prison sentence, fully offset by time already spent in detention, together with nine months of court supervision.

The three-judge panel, chaired by Putu Gde Novyarta with members Rudi Ananta Wijaya and Ida Bagus Bamadewa Patiputra, ruled that Wiria had spread information containing incitement through written material distributed in public and via social media linked to the Bali Tidak Diam movement.

According to coverage of the hearing, the judges concluded that a flyer and online posts promoting a consolidation meeting ahead of a 30 August 2025 protest amounted to incitement through technology-based communication. Reporting describes the materials as including calls to "oppose state officials" and to "crowd" or "fill" a consolidation gathering.

Sentence and supervision

In its ruling, the court stated that Wiria was "proven legally and convincingly" to have committed the criminal act charged in the first count, namely disseminating information containing incitement. Local media report that this relates to provisions on incitement in the revised Criminal Code and the electronic information law, although the judgment itself cited in coverage focuses on the incitement offence applied in the first indictment.

Both Balipost and other outlets note that the six-month prison term has been reduced in full by the period of detention already served, meaning Wiria will not return to prison provided he complies with the supervision conditions. During the nine-month supervision period, if he commits another criminal offence, the suspended six-month sentence can be executed; if he does not, the custodial term will not be carried out.

Reports also state that the time Wiria has already spent in police and court custody, including a period as a city detainee rather than in prison, was credited in full against the six-month sentence.

Court and defense positions

Balipost and other local outlets describe the hearing as taking place in the Kartika courtroom at the Denpasar District Court, attended by lawyers, observers and supporters. The court differentiated between protected criticism and actions such as damaging public facilities or throwing objects at officers, with the judges emphasising the alleged criminal intent behind the social-media activity and flyer that preceded the late-August 2025 protest.

Prosecutor Eddy Arta Wijaya, who had earlier sought a six-month custodial sentence under incitement provisions, told media that the prosecution would review the verdict before deciding on further steps. As of the latest reports, both prosecution and defence teams were still studying the decision and had not publicly confirmed whether they would lodge an appeal.

Wiria’s legal team from the Bali Coalition for Democracy Advocacy (KABUD) criticised the ruling. Lawyer Ignatius Radhite argued that the prosecution had not demonstrated a concrete causal link between the online posts and any unrest at the 30 August 2025 demonstration. Another lawyer, I Made "Ariel" Suardana, highlighted the use of a formal offence based on the content of the flyer and social-media posts rather than proven consequences, warning that the verdict could chill legitimate expression and activism.

After the hearing, Wiria told reporters he did not regret his actions and intended to continue his advocacy, urging young people not to be afraid to speak out and to stay involved in social justice issues. Supporters outside the court expressed concern over what they described as the criminalisation of protest and campus activism.

Context of the “Bali Tidak Diam” case

The case stems from online and printed campaign material shared ahead of a protest on 30 August 2025, part of a series of actions under the banner "Bali Tidak Diam" that responded to alleged police violence and the death of an online motorcycle taxi driver. According to detailed reporting on the indictment, Wiria was accused of managing the @balitidakdiam social-media account and designing a digital flyer calling for a consolidation of supporters before the protest.

Earlier court documents and coverage indicate that prosecutors pursued multiple legal provisions, including articles on incitement and hostility in the new Criminal Code, along with clauses from the electronic information law and child protection legislation, though the conviction ultimately centred on the primary incitement charge.

The ruling has fed ongoing national debate over the line between protected political speech and criminally punishable incitement, particularly when activism is organised via social media and digital campaign materials.

Sources

• Balipost
• Detik Bali (article: Aktivis Tomy Wiria Divonis 6 Bulan Penjara, Hukuman Diganti Pengawasan)
• Balebengong
• RRI Denpasar
• IDN Times Bali