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Giving a Police Statement in Indonesia
Indonesia
You are not the first person to face this in Indonesia, and there is a defined process for it. Here is what that process involves, what it usually costs, and where we can take it off your hands.
The short answer
In most cases this is a procedural problem with a known path through it, not the end of your life here. What matters is doing the right thing in the right order, with someone who can read the room and the language.
Is this you?
People come to us with this at very different stages. See which of these sounds like your situation — it changes what happens next.
- Indonesian police have asked you to come in and give a statement.
- You've been involved in an incident (an accident, a dispute, a theft, a scam) and need to report it, or have been named in someone else's report.
- You don't speak Indonesian well enough to be confident about what you're being asked, or what a document says before you sign it.
- You're not sure whether you're being treated as a witness, a victim, or a suspect — and that distinction matters.
- You want to know your rights before you go, not after you've already signed something.
If one or more of those sound familiar, this page was written for you.
What happens next in Indonesia
Understand what a BAP actually is
Berita Acara Pemeriksaan (BAP) is the official police investigation report — the formal written record of your statement. It's a significant document: what goes into it is what the case proceeds on, so accuracy matters more than speed.
Know your right to an interpreter
Under Indonesia's Criminal Procedural Code, you're entitled to have an interpreter present at every stage of criminal proceedings. You can arrange your own, or the authorities can provide one. If your Indonesian isn't fluent enough to be fully confident in a formal legal setting, ask for an interpreter before the questioning starts, not partway through.
Know your right to legal representation
You're entitled to legal representation during this process. If the situation is more than a routine, minor matter, having counsel present — or at minimum, having spoken to counsel beforehand about what to expect — meaningfully changes how the process goes for you.
Don't sign anything you haven't had translated
You can refuse to sign a written statement if you haven't been given at least an oral translation of what you're signing. This is a real, exercisable right — use it. If something in the BAP doesn't match what you actually said, say so before you sign, not after.
Request a copy of the BAP
You're entitled to a copy of the official investigation report. Keep it — it matters if the matter proceeds further, and it's the reference point for anything that happens afterward.
If it's more than routine: get advice before you go in, not after
A minor witness statement about something you observed is a different situation from being questioned as a suspect, or a dispute where the other party has resources and local knowledge you don't. If there's any doubt which category you're in, a short conversation with someone who can assess it — before you sit down with police — is worth far more than after.
This is the process as it actually runs in Indonesia. Procedure genuinely differs from one country to the next, so don't assume a neighbouring country's steps apply — and don't assume anything you read on a forum does either.
What it typically costs
Two different things get called “the cost”, and they are not the same. Our fee is what you pay us to handle it. Official fees are set by the authority and are paid to them — we don't mark those up.
| Paid to Connect Consult | Paid to the authority | |
|---|---|---|
| Attending with you and interpreting the BAPPolice do not charge to take a statement. If anyone asks you for a payment to give or amend one, stop and call us. | IDR 490 – 1,100* | No official charge |
| Independent review of the BAP before you signThe record is written in Bahasa Indonesia and you sign every page. Reviewing it before you sign is the single highest-value step on this page. | IDR 490 – 1,100* | No official charge |
| Instructing Indonesian counsel if the matter escalatesYou always see the lawyer's own fee as its own line. We do not mark up official charges or counsel fees. | Coordination included | Counsel fee quoted directly to you |
* Indicative price range only. This service is a tailored solution, assembled after consulting a specialist and budgeted against your case's specific requirements, third-party costs, your goals and your personal circumstances. Figures are guidance, checked against official sources and dated on this page. Official amounts are set by the authority and can change without notice — before you commit to anything, we confirm the exact figures for your case in writing. We do not mark up official charges or counsel fees.
Doing it yourself vs doing it with us
Plenty of people handle this on their own and it works out fine. You deserve an honest side-by-side rather than a sales pitch, so here it is.
| On your own | With Connect Consult | |
|---|---|---|
| Attending a straightforward witness interview | Genuinely doable if your Indonesian is strong and the matter is simple. Many people manage this alone. | We attend, interpret, and keep a parallel record of what was actually asked and answered. |
| Reading the BAP before signing | High risk. The record is in formal legal Bahasa Indonesia, and once signed it is very hard to walk back. | We read it line by line with you and raise corrections before, not after, you sign. |
| Working out whether you are a witness or a suspect | Often unclear from the summons alone, and the distinction changes what you should do. | We establish your actual status first — it determines everything that follows. |
The honest version
When you probably don't need us: if the matter is routine, you have time, you're comfortable dealing with the office in person, and nobody is disputing the facts — you can very likely do this yourself. Read the steps above, use the official links at the bottom, and keep your money.
Common questions
Do I have to answer questions in Indonesian if I'm not fluent?
No — you're entitled to an interpreter at every stage of criminal proceedings under Indonesia's Criminal Procedural Code. Ask for one before questioning begins if you're not fully confident in Indonesian.
Can I refuse to sign the BAP?
You can refuse to sign a written statement if you haven't been given at least an oral translation of it. If anything in the document doesn't match what you actually said, raise it before signing.
What's the difference between being a witness, a complainant, and a suspect?
Each carries different implications for how the process unfolds and what rights and obligations apply. If you're unsure which you are, ask directly and clearly — and if the answer is unclear or you're being treated as more than a witness, that's exactly when getting advice before proceeding matters most.
Am I entitled to a lawyer during questioning?
Yes, you're entitled to legal representation. Whether you need one physically present depends on the seriousness of the matter — for a routine minor statement it may not be necessary, but for anything beyond that, having counsel involved is worth arranging in advance.
Can I get a copy of the statement I gave?
Yes — you're entitled to a copy of the official BAP. Request it and keep it; it's the reference point for anything that follows.
No obligation · treated in confidence
Talk to someone now
Tell us what has happened in a few sentences. We'll tell you plainly where you stand, what the realistic options are, and what each one would cost — before you decide anything.
Connect Consult is a legal services concierge, not an Indonesian law firm. Where a matter needs a lawyer, it is handled by counsel qualified in Indonesia — we vet them, brief them, coordinate them and stay with you throughout. No one can promise how a police investigation or a court will decide, and you should be cautious of anyone who does.
Official sources
- UK Government guidance — reporting a crime or police misconduct in Indonesia ↗UK Foreign Office guidance on reporting a crime or police misconduct in Indonesia. A foreign government's guidance rather than an Indonesian source, so treat it as practical direction rather than a statement of Indonesian law — we cite it because it is written in plain English for exactly this situation. Verified August 2026.
Where to go next
Other situations in Indonesia
The same situation elsewhere in South East Asia
Background reading