Jakarta – The Advocacy Team for Democracy (TAUD) has condemned the appeal ruling by the Jakarta High Military Court II (DILMILTI II) in the case of the acid attack against Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) activist Andrie Yunus.
They believe the sentences handed down against the defendants fail to provide justice for Yunus as the victim.
"We state that today that an acid attack has been met with impunity, the defendants received light sentences, and the more than 16 unidentified perpetrators remain at large", said TAUD representative Fadhil Alfathan during a press conference in front of the Supreme Court on Monday September 7.
"Therefore, we from the Advocacy Team for Democracy condemn the appeal ruling by the Jakarta High Military Court II, which then reduced the sentences of the four TNI [Indonesian Military] members who perpetrated the acid attack on Andrie Yunus", said Alfathan.
Based on the appeal verdict in case Number 56-K/PMT-II/BDG/AL/VI/2026, Defendant I, Second Sergeant Edi Sudarko, was sentenced to two years and six months in prison. Meanwhile, Defendant II, First Lieutenant Budhi Hariyanto Widhi, was sentenced to two years in prison.
The appeal ruling also overturned the additional penalty of dismissal from military service for both Sudarko and Widhi.
Defendant III, Captain Nandala Dwi Prasetyo, was sentenced to two years in prison, while Defendant IV, First Lieutenant Sami Lakka, received a sentence of one year and six months.
"And we asses this DILMILTI II Jakarta ruling number 56, which then in fact granted leniency to the perpetrators which did not deliver justice for the victim, reinforces the practice of impunity, and creates the impression that military personnel receive preferential treatment before the law", explained Alfathan.
In its appeal ruling, the panel considered several factors in overturning the additional penalty of dismissal from the military imposed on Sudarko and Widhi, including the results of psychological evaluations, the status of the pair who are not repeat offenders, their admission of wrongdoing, their family circumstances and Yunus' absence from the trial at the court of first instance.
TAUD believes the verdict fails to address allegations regarding the involvement of other parties in the attack on Yunus.
"We also state that this verdict shuts the door on a larger issue, particularly concerning TAUD's findings regarding more than 16 individuals suspected of involvement in a series of attacks against Andrie Yunus who have not yet faced legal proceedings", said Alfathan.
"From the outset, TAUD has submitted evidence and revealed the suspected involvement of parties who not only carried out the attack, but are also alleged to have ordered, planned, funded it, and were behind the attack".
The attack on Yunus took place on March 12. At the time, he was pursuing efforts to challenge the Military Justice Law and the TNI Law at the Constitutional Court.
TAUD believes that the attack was part of a pattern of assaults against human rights defenders and activists in Indonesia.
"Because we believe that the attack on Andrie Yunus was not an act that was carried out for personal reason, but it was part of a pattern of attacks against human rights defenders and activists in Indonesia", said Kontras Impunity Monitoring Division head and TAUD member Jane Rosalina.
"And we also wish to emphasise that this case cannot stop with just these four perpetrators. We demand a thorough investigation that reaches the intellectual authors, up to the parties that funded it, and up to the parties that ordered it", she said.
In its official statement, TAUD also put forward three demands:
1. Dismiss and prosecute the perpetrators up to the intellectual actors.
2. Conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the military justice system.
3. Ensure the state is present to provide protection and redress for Andrie Yunus and his family.
(van/wis)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "TAUD: Hari Ini Serangan Air Keras Dibalas Impunitas".]
