2.5-Year Prison Sentence Demanded for Four Soldiers in Andrie Yunus Acid Attack Case
The sentencing hearing was held at the Military Court II-08 Jakarta on Wednesday (3/6/2026). The Military Prosecutor stated that all four were proven guilty of carrying out the acid attack on Andrie Yunus.
The four defendants in this case are defendant I Sergeant Two Edi Sudarko, defendant II Lieutenant One Budhi Hariyanto Widhi, defendant III Captain Nandala Dwi Prasetyo, and defendant IV Lieutenant One Sami Lakka.
The Prosecutor believes that the defendants were proven guilty of violating Article 467 Paragraph (1) in conjunction with Paragraph (2) of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code, in conjunction with Article 20 letter c of Law Number 1 of 2023.
Charges
The Prosecutor had previously charged four TNI soldiers with carrying out an acid attack on KontraS activist Andrie Yunus. The military prosecutor said the defendants carried out the action because they were angry with Andrie.
The Prosecutor said the defendants knew Andrie on March 16, 2025, when Andrie entered and interrupted a meeting to discuss revisions to the TNI Law held by the DPR at the Fairmont Hotel, South Jakarta. The defendants felt that Andrie’s actions had insulted the TNI institution.
“With this incident, the defendants felt that Mr. Andrie Yunus had insulted the TNI institution, even trampled on the TNI institution,” said the prosecutor while reading the indictment.
In short, the defendants sought information about Andrie Yunus’ activities. They divided tasks when carrying out the attack in March 2026.
The Prosecutor charged all four soldiers with violating Article 469 paragraph 1, subsidiary to Article 468 paragraph 1, further subsidiary to Article 467 paragraph 1 in conjunction with paragraph 2 in conjunction with Article 20 letter C of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code.
TAUD’s Response
The Advocacy Team for Democracy (TAUD) highlighted the sentencing demand for the four TNI soldiers accused in the acid attack case against KontraS activist Andrie Yunus. They believe that the 2.5-year prison sentence is far from justice.
“This sentence is still far from justice for the victim and the aroma of impunity is strongly felt, and unfortunately this stigma continues to stick in the jurisdiction of military justice in trying its own members who are involved in serious crimes against civilians,” said TAUD in a written statement, Wednesday (3/5/2026).
TAUD also highlighted the lack of additional demands for dismissal from military service against the defendants. TAUD questioned the TNI’s commitment to taking action against soldiers who commit violations.
“The absence of a demand for dismissal strengthens the suspicion that institutional protection of the TNI against its soldiers is still at work in this case. This situation further strengthens the suspicion that the acid attack on Andrie Yunus was not a personal act,” said TAUD.
TAUD believes that military justice reform is needed. TAUD hopes for a revision of the law governing military justice.
“The light sentence for the defendants further shows the urgency for military justice reform by immediately revising Law 31/1997 concerning Military Justice,” said TAUD.
TAUD also regretted the prosecutor’s request that the evidence in the Andrie Yunus case be destroyed. TAUD believes that the demand has an impact on law enforcement, which they believe has not been completed.
“The absence of material evidence, which was previously held by the Metro Jaya Police but was handed over to the TNI Military Police Center and then submitted by the military prosecutor in the Jakarta Military Court, will hinder the investigation ordered by the judge in the pre-trial hearing,” said TAUD. (dcom/dcom)