Indonesia investigates online insults of Brunei’s sultan

Jakarta police spokesman Argo Yuwono said Monday the complaint was made on behalf of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah by the deputy director of the Royal Brunei Police Force. (Photo: Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei/Facebook)

JAKARTA, Indonesia — The Sultan of Brunei has made a complaint of defamation to the Indonesian police about an Instagram account that criticized the wealthy autocratic leader of Southeast Asia’s smallest nation.

Jakarta police spokesman Argo Yuwono said Monday the complaint was made on behalf of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah by the deputy director of the Royal Brunei Police Force.

Yuwono said the police officer, who is part of Brunei’s royal family, was on a visit to Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, when he found photos of Bolkiah posted along with insulting comments on Instagram by the account “anti—hassanal.”

The account had deleted all of its posts as of Monday.

Yuwono said “There are some photos and comments about the Sultan of Brunei considered to have harmed and defamed him.”

He said police are investigating.