The study is important because it highlights the growing influence of social media in Indonesia’s law enforcement landscape. Public discussion can now quickly expand beyond traditional media, allowing citizens to monitor legal cases, share information, voice concerns, and pressure authorities to respond to issues that attract widespread public attention.
A Film Revived Public Attention
The Vina Cirebon case initially emerged in 2016 after the deaths of Vina and Eky. The case returned to the center of public attention in 2024 following the release of the film Vina: Before Seven Days.
The film attracted more than 4.5 million viewers and triggered widespread public curiosity about the case. Many people began discussing alleged irregularities in the handling of the investigation and court proceedings. Discussions quickly spread across social media platforms, where users shared opinions, information, posters, and hashtags related to the case.
According to Sahlan’s analysis, the film acted as a trigger that transformed a previously dormant case into a major national public issue. Public concern then developed into broader social pressure directed at law enforcement institutions.
Public Pressure Became a Social Movement
The study describes how public attention developed into various forms of collective action. Online discussions were accompanied by petitions, public campaigns, social media hashtags, and offline demonstrations.
One of the most prominent movements focused on Pegi Setiawan, whose designation as a suspect drew intense public scrutiny. The hashtag #bebaskanpegi became part of a wider campaign calling for a review of the legal process.
Public pressure continued to grow until the Bandung District Court granted Pegi Setiawan’s pretrial motion. The court ruled that his designation as a suspect was invalid and legally void.
For Sahlan, this development demonstrates how public opinion can evolve into a social force capable of influencing the direction of public attention and legal proceedings.
“No Viral, No Justice” Reflects a New Digital Reality
A central finding of the study is the emergence of the “no viral, no justice” phenomenon. The phrase reflects a growing public perception that cases may receive faster attention from authorities after becoming widely discussed and viral on social media.
In the Vina Cirebon case, social media functioned not only as a channel for spreading information. It also became a space where citizens monitored the legal process, criticized official actions, shared information, and demanded greater attention to a case they believed raised questions about justice.
Sahlan argues that the phenomenon reflects a major transformation in the relationship between citizens, media, and law enforcement. The public is no longer limited to receiving information from official institutions or conventional media. Through digital platforms, citizens can gather information, participate in discussions, and form collective opinions.
The study applies public opinion and pressure group perspectives to explain how individuals with shared concerns can form a powerful public movement, even when they do not personally know one another.
Social Media Can Strengthen Public Oversight
Sahlan’s research also identifies positive implications of public involvement in legal cases. Social media can increase public legal awareness and encourage citizens to participate in monitoring law enforcement processes.
In this context, citizens are not merely objects of law enforcement. They can also act as social watchdogs by raising concerns, questioning official actions, and demanding transparency when they believe that justice may not have been properly served.
Public involvement can also encourage law enforcement institutions to work more professionally, transparently, accountably, and proportionally. Public scrutiny can therefore contribute to stronger institutional accountability and potentially improve public trust.
However, the study emphasizes that public opinion cannot replace the legal process. A case becoming viral does not automatically establish the truth, and the dominant opinion on social media may not always reflect legally verified facts.
For this reason, public pressure should serve as a form of social oversight rather than the sole basis for legal decisions. Law enforcement must continue to rely on evidence, due process, human rights protections, non-discrimination, and substantive justice.
Lessons for Law Enforcement in the Digital Era
The Vina Cirebon case provides an important example of how digital communication is reshaping law enforcement in Indonesia. Social media can bring renewed attention to cases that have remained unresolved in the public imagination and can create pressure for greater transparency.
Sahlan’s findings suggest that public trust in law enforcement depends not only on legal outcomes but also on the transparency, professionalism, and accountability of the process.
The study also reflects the growing legal awareness of Indonesian society. With wider access to information and digital spaces for discussion, citizens can play a more active role in monitoring public institutions and demanding accountability.
At the same time, the growing power of viral information presents serious challenges. Information that spreads rapidly is not necessarily accurate, and public opinion can form before facts have been fully verified. Responsible digital participation is therefore essential.
Ultimately, Sahlan concludes that public opinion played a major role in reviving national attention to the Vina Cirebon case. The “no viral, no justice” phenomenon illustrates the growing influence of social media in Indonesia’s modern law enforcement environment.
For government institutions and law enforcement agencies, the case highlights the importance of transparency, accountability, and respect for citizens’ rights. For the public, it demonstrates that civic participation can become an important democratic force when it is based on accurate information and remains grounded in the principles of justice.
About the Author
Mukhammad Sahlan is an academic affiliated with the Islamic Communication and Broadcasting Study Program at UIN Sunan Kalijaga. His work in this article focuses on public opinion, social communication, social media, and the influence of public movements on law enforcement.
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