PELAKITA.ID – Jakarta, October 21, 2025 — The legal representatives of the victims from the fishing vessel Run Zeng 03, supported by Destructive Fishing Watch (DFW) Indonesia and the Indonesian Migrant Workers Union (SBMI), have filed a complaint against investigators of the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim Polri) to the National Police Commission (Kompolnas) and the Inspectorate of General Supervision (Itwasum Polri) for alleged violations of the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, citing undue delay in the investigation and inquiry process.
The complaint was submitted due to what is alleged to be a prolonged investigation process regarding a suspected case of human trafficking (TPPO) that occurred aboard two fishing vessels — KM Mitra Usaha Semesta (KM MUS) and Run Zeng (RZ) 03.
The case was initially reported to Bareskrim Polri in June 2024, under Police Report No. STTL/206/VI/2024/BARESKRIM. Those reported include MOP, R, GW, AW, and others, but the legal process has reportedly shown little progress.
On March 3, 2024, Bareskrim Polri transferred the case to the Maluku Regional Police (Polda Maluku), claiming the case had reached the investigation stage. However, upon verification, it was found that the process at Polda Maluku remained at the preliminary inquiry stage.
The victims’ legal team also submitted a report to the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) on September 25, urging the independent human rights watchdog to take an active role in overseeing the handling of this case.
The complaint to Kompolnas and Itwasum seeks to press both institutions to examine, supervise, and ensure internal accountability within the Indonesian National Police in dealing with this human trafficking case.
The victims’ lawyers argue that Kompolnas and Itwasum have the mandate to investigate and follow up on the current situation involving the Run Zeng 03 and KM MUS cases.
Dios Lumban Gaol, one of the victims’ legal counsels, stated that after one year and three months, the handling of the case by Bareskrim Polri has shown no significant progress.
“The case remains stagnant at the inquiry stage, even though the crime and the perpetrators are already clear. We believe Bareskrim Polri is not taking this case seriously. In this situation, the victims are being re-victimized because law enforcement has failed to uphold their rights,” he said.
This concern is reinforced by the transfer of the case from Bareskrim Polri to Polda Maluku without clear justification.
Meanwhile, Siti Wahyatun, another legal counsel for the Run Zeng 03 victims, emphasized that the prolonged and sluggish investigation amounts to a denial of justice.
“We cannot allow justice to be endlessly delayed, because the delay of justice is injustice itself. Itwasum and Kompolnas are mandated to monitor the performance of the National Police. We hope these institutions will ensure the professionalism of the investigators handling this case. Human trafficking is a serious crime against humanity — the victims must not be re-victimized due to the investigators’ lack of professionalism,” she asserted.
The victims’ legal team is therefore demanding Kompolnas and Itwasum to conduct an examination and/or monitoring of the complaint regarding the alleged ethical and professional violations related to the undue delay in the investigation, to summon the relevant parties for written clarification, and to collect necessary documents as well as take appropriate supervisory actions.
They also urge the authorities to issue an official update on the complaint’s resolution and to ensure continued monitoring of follow-up actions in this case.
Media Contacts
📞 Kirana (SBMI Media Campaign) – 0823-8403-4349
📞 Fai (DFW Indonesia Communication Officer) – 0857-7626-7735
About SBMI
The Indonesian Migrant Workers Union (SBMI) is an organization representing migrant workers and their families. Established on February 25, 2003, SBMI was formerly known as the Federation of Indonesian Migrant Workers Organizations (FOBMI) and was initiated by the Consortium for the Defense of Indonesian Migrant Workers (KOPBUMI) in 2000 under the network Jaringan Nasional Buruh Migran. SBMI emerged as a response to the poor conditions and systemic challenges faced by Indonesian migrant workers and has been officially recognized as a trade union since 2006.
About DFW Indonesia
Destructive Fishing Watch (DFW) Indonesia is a national alliance or open consortium uniting institutions and individuals concerned with destructive fishing practices, unsustainable fishing (PITRaL), poverty reduction, climate change adaptation, and disaster management in Indonesia.