Ardan Pratama, Jakarta – International attention has been directed at Indonesia after United Nations (UN) experts said they believe that the "personal vendetta" narrative in the acid attack on human rights activist Andrie Yunus has the potential to obscure the search for the mastermind behind the attack, which they described as a premeditated act.
The UN experts made this statement in response to the trial of four members of the Indonesian Military's (TNI) Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS) who have been indicted for acid attack on the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Deputy Coordinator Yunus.
"Framing the crime as a 'personal vendetta' obscures the identification of the intellectual actors behind this premeditated attack and diminishes institutional responsibility", the UN experts said in a statement released Wednesday June 3, 2026.
The four personnel on trial at the II-08 Jakarta Military Court are Sergeant Second Class Edi Sudarko, Lieutenant First Class Budhi Hariyanto Widhi, Captain Nandala Dwi Prasetyo and Lieutenant First Class Sami Lakka.
On Wednesday the Military Prosecutor (Oditur Militer) demanded a prison sentence of two years and six months for the four defendants.
In the indictment read out in court, the prosecutor stated that the defendants were proven guilty of premeditated serious assault resulting in serious injuries to the victim.
According to the prosecutor, the defendants harboured anger and negative sentiments toward Yunus.
They were said to feel that Yunus had degraded the dignity of the TNI by interrupting a closed meeting discussing the revisions to the TNI Law at the Fairmont Hotel in Jakarta in March 2025.
In addition to demanding a prison sentence, the prosecutor also requested that the panel of judges seize and destroy evidence used in the crime.
The prosecutor described the defendants' actions as a form of extra-legal revenge, or revenge carried out outside the legal framework.
However, a different assessment was conveyed by UN experts who believe that the legal construction in the case does not reflect the severity of the attack suffered by the victim.
"The decision to charge the defendants with the lesser charge of 'serious premeditated assault' does not adequately reflect the severity and impact of this life-threatening attack", the UN experts said.
Yunus was the victim of an acid attack in Central Jakarta on Wednesday March 12. The attack occurred shortly after he recorded a podcast discussing the militarisation of civil and political affairs in Indonesia.
As a result of the attack, Yunus suffered serious, permanent injuries requiring long-term medical treatment. The victim's eyes, skin and joints suffered serious burns from the acid thrown at him by the perpetrator.
In addition to highlighting the narrative constructed in the case, the UN experts also criticised the use of military justice to handle a case involving a civilian victim.
"The use of military justice in the case of an extreme and targeted acid attack on a civilian raises serious concerns regarding accountability, independence, and transparency", they said.
According to the experts, handling the case through the military justice system has the potential to perpetuate the problem of impunity that has long been a concern in Indonesia's dual justice system.
"Handling this case through the military justice system risks perpetuating long-standing patterns of impunity and fragmented accountability within Indonesia's dual justice system, particularly in cases of alleged human rights violations involving military personnel", they said.
Therefore, the UN experts urged that the investigation and prosecution of the case be transferred to the civilian justice system to ensure independence, transparency and public oversight in accordance with international human rights standards.
They also urged the Indonesian government to ensure the protection of Yunus and continued access to specialised healthcare services needed during the victim's recovery process.
The UN experts stated that they are continuing to communicate with the Indonesian government to monitor the progress of the case.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "PBB Kritik Keras Sidang Andrie Yunus, Sebut Tuduhan Terhadap Terdakwa Terlalu Ringan".]
