Indonesian president removes chief of staff over alleged wiretapping

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has sacked his chief of staff for alleged treason, a day after the detention of three senior police generals on suspicion of wiretapping the president, cabinet ministers and others.

The three serving police generals have been accused of carrying out tapping against the phones of President Prabowo, journalists, politicians, business people and more from 2025 to this year.

All are being held at the National Police headquarters detention centre.

Head of Indonesia's police criminal investigation agency said the suspects were being probed for illegally intercepting communications, accessing electronic systems without authorisation and deleting electronic data in a bid to erase traces.

The presidential spokesman said the alleged wiretapping could constitute treason and endanger state security.