Jakarta – The Advocacy Team for Democracy (TAUD), which is comprised of several civil society organisations, says that at least 16 people were involved in the acid attack on the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Deputy Coordinator Andrie Yunus.
The TAUD also described the attack as an intelligence operation.
"We have identified at least 16 field operatives. Moreover, if we were given further opportunity, we would be happy to discuss and present the evidence, but then we saw that there was a process of handing over the case", said Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) Director Fadhil Alfathan during a hearing with the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission III in Jakarta on Tuesday March 31.
Alfathan criticised the Jakarta Metropolitan Police (Polda Metro Jaya) for handing over the case to the Indonesian Military's (TNI) Military Police Headquarters (Puspom). He called the handover premature and demanded an explanation of the legal basis.
In his explanation, Alfathan referred to Law Number 20/2025 on the new Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP) saying there is an inconsistency between what is stipulated in these provisions and the legal process in the Yunus case.
"One of the principles promoted by the DPR and which then became a provision in the Criminal Procedure Code was how to place Polri [National Police] investigators as primary investigators, regardless of the debate at the time, so in this case we in fact question the formulation process that then placed Polri investigators as primary investigators in a criminal investigation process", he said.
"But, then we heard here about the process of transferring the case to investigators of other crimes. Our question is actually simple: What is the legal basis? Show it and convey it to us in a transparent and accountable manner", asserted Alfathan.
He also asked Commission III to review the Jakarta Metropolitan Police's decision to transfer the handling of Yunus' case to the TNI's Puspom.
"Because in our opinion, there is no legal basis for the transfer as stipulated under our new [criminal] procedural law. This transfer must be reviewed, reviewed transparently, accountably, because the victim's rights must be fulfilled and that was the title of our colleagues' presentation earlier that justice for Andrie is justice for all of us", he asserted.
Intelligence Operation
On the same occasion, Indonesia Memanggil (IM57+) Institute Chairperson Lakso Anindito said that the acid attack on Yunus was an intelligence operation. One of the reasons for this was in looking at the number and background of the perpetrators of the crime.
"There are 16 field operators who have been identified and this would not have been possible without the use of state intelligence tools", Anindito said.
Anindito, who is a former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator with experience in espionage, is convinced that there was a combination of field perpetrators and state tools that were used. Therefore, he urged serious accountability from intelligence organisations, specifically the TNI's Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS).
"I see that there is a more serious accountability process here, because the state apparatus, members of the state, were used to harm civilians", he said.
"So, I want to emphasise one important aspect, namely that this is an intelligence operation", concluded Anindito.
Andrie Yunus was doused with acid about two weeks ago after making a podcast at the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) offices titled "Remilitarisation & Judicial Review of the TNI Law".
The police initially announced the initials of two suspects, but at the same time, the TNI announced that they had detained four individuals from the BAIS Headquarters Detachment (Denma) who were the perpetrators of the acid attack on Yunus.
Meanwhile Yunus is currently in intensive care at Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National Hospital (RSCM) in Jakarta. The RSCM medical team discovered an ischemia condition, or lack of blood flow, in the area under the sclera of Yunus' right eye. (ryn/dal)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "TAUD Temukan Ada 16 Pelaku Air Keras, Singgung Operasi Intelijen".]
