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Jakarta – A Constitutional Court justice is defending the validity of his doctorate amid increasing scrutiny of credentials within Indonesia’s legal system. Arsul Sani publicly presented his original degree and supporting documentation Monday in response to allegations of a falsified degree,a move that comes as a separate police report regarding the claims remains pending review. The case underscores a growing national conversation about clarity and accountability among high-ranking officials.
JAKARTA – A Constitutional Court justice in Indonesia has publicly presented his original degree and graduation photos in response to allegations of a falsified doctorate. The move comes as scrutiny intensifies over the credentials of high-ranking officials within the country’s legal system.
Arsul Sani addressed the claims during a press conference Monday, November 17, 2025, at the Constitutional Court building, detailing the research behind his doctoral dissertation. “I wrote a dissertation titled ‘Reexamining The Considerations of National Security Interest and Human Rights Protection in Counterterrorism Legal Policy: A Case Study on Indonesia with Focus on Post-Bali Bombings Development.’ The dissertation is here,” Sani stated.
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Sani explained that he earned his doctorate in 2020 from Collegium Humanum, also known as Warsaw Management University, a private university in Poland. He noted that he was unable to attend in-person classes due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Sani also stated that he had already accumulated some academic credits from previous studies. Prior to pursuing his doctorate in Poland, he began doctoral studies at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) in 2011. However, due to professional commitments, he was unable to complete the program before the maximum time limit in 2017/2018. Despite not earning a doctorate from GCU, he was awarded a Master’s degree for his completed coursework.
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Sani continued his studies online, ultimately graduating in March 2023. “I was informed in February that there would be a doctoral graduation ceremony in Warsaw, not far from the campus,” he said. He displayed photos from the ceremony, which was attended by his wife and the then-Indonesian Ambassador to Poland, Anita Lidya Luhulima.
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Upon completing his graduation, Sani immediately requested official legalization of his degree, as he was scheduled to return to Indonesia shortly after. “There, I was given the original degree. After the graduation, because I was returning to Indonesia in 2-3 days, I made a copy of it, with assistance from the Indonesian Embassy, and then had it legalized. This is an original from the Indonesian Embassy in Warsaw,” Sani explained.
Report Filed Against Arsul Sani
The allegations against Sani prompted a report to the Indonesian National Police’s Criminal Investigation Unit (Bareskrim) on Friday, November 14, 2025, by the Alliance of Constitutional Watchers. However, the report was not immediately accepted, and investigators requested the group return on Monday, November 17, 2025.
According to Betran Sulani, the Alliance’s coordinator, the group engaged in extensive discussions with investigators but did not receive a police report number. “In principle, they accepted it, but the report number has not been issued and we were asked to come back tomorrow, Monday. A lot was discussed yesterday,” Sulani told Kompas.com on Sunday, November 16, 2025.
The Alliance also plans to submit a similar report to the Constitutional Court’s Honorary Council (MKMK). The case highlights the increasing scrutiny of academic credentials among Indonesia’s political and legal elite.
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