A Civil Society Coalition has vehemently criticized the alleged acid attack on Andrie Yunus, Deputy Coordinator of KontraS (Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence), reportedly carried out by members of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI). The coalition expressed profound dissatisfaction with the prospect of the case being resolved through a military justice system.
“The Civil Society Coalition urges that all four suspects be prosecuted criminally through the general court system, to ensure transparency and accountability,” stated Usman Hamid, Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia and a member of the coalition, in a statement on Wednesday, March 18th. Hamid underscored the coalition’s concern that military courts often operate with a lack of openness, making independent monitoring by civil society challenging.
Usman Hamid further emphasized the pervasive issue of impunity often associated with military justice. “It is an open secret that military courts frequently serve as a mechanism to circumvent accountability for general criminal acts involving TNI members,” he asserted. The coalition harbors strong doubts that a military tribunal would thoroughly uncover the full extent of the case, including identifying the mastermind and tracing the chain of command behind the incident.
“It is entirely possible that this case involves perpetrators within a higher chain of command, acting as intellectual actors. The Civil Society Coalition firmly believes that systematic elements and command responsibility behind the acid attack on Andrie Yunus will likely remain unrevealed if handled through the military justice system,” Usman elaborated. He also called for the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) to actively intervene as an independent monitor, ensuring a comprehensive resolution to the case.
“Therefore, once again, we urge Komnas HAM to act proactively in uncovering and investigating the existing facts,” Usman reiterated. Citing similar incidents that have occurred multiple times in Indonesia, Usman concluded by urging the government to give serious attention to the handling of this case, ensuring its resolution through a general criminal justice mechanism. He added that if the elements are met, it should proceed through the Human Rights Court for severe human rights violations.
Alleged Perpetrators Identified as TNI Members
Earlier, the TNI Headquarters had held a press conference regarding the case, confirming that the four alleged perpetrators are indeed active members of the TNI, specifically from the Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS) of the TNI.
“We announce that all four alleged perpetrators are members of Denma BAIS TNI. Their initials and ranks are Captain NDP, First Lieutenant SL, First Lieutenant BHW, and Sergeant ES,” stated Major General Yusri Nuryanto, Head of the TNI Military Police (Danpuspom TNI), during the press conference held at TNI Headquarters on Wednesday, March 18th.
These individuals were apprehended following an internal investigation by the TNI, which uncovered several irregularities. “From the results of that internal investigation, we observed several anomalies, and based on those anomalies, we expanded our inquiry, leading to the identification of the four alleged suspects,” Yusri explained.
Currently, the alleged perpetrators are detained in a Super Security Maximum facility at Pomdam Jaya. The TNI leadership has pledged full transparency regarding the case, assuring the public of a professional and swift investigative process. “We will work to our utmost ability, hoping that this investigation process can be carried out professionally and quickly, after which we will hand it over to the prosecutor, in this case, the Military Prosecutor’s Office (Odmil), for trial,” Yusri affirmed.
Summary
A Civil Society Coalition has strongly criticized the alleged acid attack on Andrie Yunus, Deputy Coordinator of KontraS, by TNI members and demands the case be tried in general courts. The coalition argues that military justice often lacks transparency and accountability, potentially obscuring higher-ranking perpetrators or the full chain of command. They urge Komnas HAM to act as an independent monitor and for the government to ensure the case is resolved through a general criminal justice mechanism.
TNI Headquarters has confirmed that the four alleged perpetrators are active members of BAIS TNI, identifying them by initials and ranks. These individuals were apprehended after an internal investigation revealed irregularities and are currently detained. TNI leadership has pledged transparency and a swift, professional investigation before transferring the case to the Military Prosecutor’s Office for trial.