Indonesian Embassy Secures Amnesty Repatriation, Warns Against Job Scams

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) in Yangon facilitated the repatriation of 12 Indonesian citizens to their homeland after they received amnesties from the Myanmar government. The 12 individuals were officially handed over by Myanmar authorities to the embassy team at Insein Prison on Saturday, August 29, 2026.

The amnesty was granted after the 12 citizens served six months of a one-year prison sentence for immigration violations and involvement in online scam operations. Following administrative clearance, they were immediately repatriated to Indonesia under the escort of embassy staff.

This repatriation was the result of continuous consular assistance initiated when the embassy team gained access to meet the citizens in Hpa-An, Kayin State, in early January. Throughout the legal process, the embassy closely monitored their well-being, verified their identities, issued travel documents, and coordinated with Myanmar authorities as well as relevant agencies in Indonesia.

“They were part of more than 400 Indonesians detained when the Myanmar military raided online scam centers between October and November 2025,” the embassy's Chargé d'Affaires ad interim, Novan Ivanhoe Saleh, said when contacted by RRI on Monday, August 31, 2026.

Novan noted that while 12 individuals faced prosecution, the rest were deported. The 12 citizens had initially received one‑year prison terms and were held at Hpa‑An Prison in Kayin State. However, six months into their sentence, the Myanmar government granted them a pardon.

Upon arriving in Indonesia, the 12 citizens were handed over to relevant authorities for data collection and further processing in accordance with prevailing regulations.

The Indonesian Embassy in Yangon continues to urge citizens to verify the legality of job offers abroad and avoid involvement in online scam networks to prevent legal risks. Specifically, Novan urged Indonesians to remain vigilant when considering job offers targeting Myanmar, as well as those in Thailand and Malaysia.

“Most of them do not enter Myanmar directly, but travel through those two countries first. While victims targeting Cambodia can usually fly directly, those heading to Myanmar mostly go through Thailand,” Novan explained.

He added that although not all of them were victims, those who were unaware were often enticed with promises of work in hotels or restaurants in Thailand or Malaysia, only to be trafficked into Myanmar from there. (Diva Rifdah)