June 4, 2026
JAKARTA – The South Jakarta court has ordered police to reopen their investigation into the acid attack on rights activist Andrie Yunus, potentially broadening efforts to identify the mastermind behind the assault, as military prosecutors seek prison terms for four soldiers that civil groups have criticized as too lenient.
At a hearing on Tuesday, sole judge Suparna ruled that the Jakarta Police must continue investigating the attack that left Andrie, deputy coordinator of Kontras and an outspoken critic of the perceived rise of militarism in the country, with severe facial injuries, especially to his right eye.
Police previously halted its investigation in March after naming two suspects and transferring the case to the National Military Police Headquarters (Puspom TNI). Military investigators later identified four members of the Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS) as suspects, namely Capt. Nandala Dwi Prasetya, First Lt. Budhi Hariyanto Widhi, First Lt. Sami Lakka and Second Sgt. Edi Sudarko.
They are currently being tried at the Jakarta Military Court.
The Advocacy Team for Democracy (TAUD), a coalition of civil society representing Andrie, had filed a pretrial motion against the Jakarta Police, arguing that the transfer of the case was unlawful.
In his ruling, Suparna said the legal process must be pursued to completion to ensure clear criminal accountability.
“Transferring the investigation file and evidence from the Jakarta Police’s general crimes directorate to investigators at the Indonesian Military Police constitutes a termination of the investigation, and therefore [the petition] must be granted,” he said during the televised hearing.
Welcoming the recent move, TAUD urged the Jakarta Police to resume the investigation without any delay and follow up on the coalition’s independent findings, which allege that 16 individuals were involved in the attack under the direction of unidentified “intellectual actors”.
Jakarta Police general crimes director Sr. Comr. Iman Immanudin said the force respected the ruling and would comply in accordance with the law. “We will coordinate with all parties involved in the matter,” Iman said on Tuesday.
TNI spokesperson Brig. Gen. Muhammad Nas also said the military would cooperate with any further investigation.
“If there are matters that need coordination with the TNI, they will be followed up in accordance with the existing mechanisms and authorities,” he said on Tuesday.
‘Lenient’ demand
A day after the pretrial ruling, proceedings continued at the military court. During Wednesday’s hearing, military prosecutors demanded prison sentences of two years and six months for each defendant, arguing that they had committed a premeditated assault resulting in serious injury in violation of the Criminal Code (KUHP).
Prosecutors also requested that several pieces of evidence, including a flash drive containing footage from the crime scene, a battery and an empty rust-remover bottle, be destroyed. A tumbler allegedly used to throw the acid at Andrie, meanwhile, would be returned to the defendants.
Presiding judge Col. Fredy Ferdian Isnartanto and panel judges Lt. Col. Irwan Tasri and Maj. Zainal Abidin are scheduled to deliver their verdict on June 10.
Kontras coordinator Dimas Bagus Arya described the prosecutors’ demand as “lenient”, noting that it did not include dismissal from military service. He also characterized the proceedings as a “charade to protect the interests of certain parties”.
“This condition reinforces the suspicion that the military court functions more as a mechanism to protect TNI personnel than as an independent, accountable and impartial law enforcement instrument,” he said in a video statement on Wednesday.
Dimas added that destroying or returning physical evidence could hamper the renewed police investigation.
Kontras and Andrie have repeatedly expressed a lack of confidence in the military proceedings and have called for the case to be tried in a civilian court. Andrie also declined to attend previous hearings despite being summoned by judges.
Meanwhile, criminal law expert Abdul Fickar Hadjar argued that “there should be no more reason for the military court to continue the trial”.
He maintained that the case should never have been transferred to military investigators for the alleged offense constitute a general criminal act rather than a military crime.
A civilian investigation, he added, could uncover more suspects beyond the four soldiers, provide a broader perspective on the case and potentially reveal the mastermind behind the attack.