Appeal Against Acquittal Verdict for Delpedro et al. Sparks Legal Debate
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has filed a cassation appeal against the acquittal ruling for Delpedro Marhaen Rismansyah, Executive Director of the Lokataru Foundation, along with three other defendants in the alleged incitement case related to demonstrations in August 2025.
The legal action was taken after prosecutors assessed that the case could still be subject to cassation under the applicable criminal procedure provisions at the time the case was transferred to the court.
According to the official website of the Case Search Information System (SIPP) of the Central Jakarta District Court (PN), the cassation petition was filed on 16 March 2026.
In addition to Delpedro Marhaen, the appeal also targets the verdicts against Muzaffar Salim, Khariq Anhar, and Syahdan Husein.
The acquittal verdict for Delpedro Marhaen Rismansyah and associates was read by the panel of judges at the Central Jakarta District Court on 6 March 2026.
At that time, the panel of judges stated that Delpedro Marhaen, Muzaffar Salim, Syahdan Husein, and Khariq Anhar were not proven to have committed incitement that led to unrest during the August 2025 demonstrations.
The Chief Judge also ordered the four defendants to be released from detention after the verdict was pronounced.
The judges also requested that the rights of the defendants in terms of ability, position, as well as dignity and honour be restored.
Dapot stated that his side still respects the Central Jakarta District Court decision dated 6 March 2026.
“However, we disagree with that decision,” Dapot said when confirmed by Kompas.com on Tuesday.
Therefore, on 16 March 2026, the AGO filed a cassation petition against the verdict for Delpedro Marhaen and his three associates.
Subsequently, the cassation memorandum was submitted to the Central Jakarta District Court on Friday, 27 March 2026.
“We await the results from the Supreme Court, which will broadly assess the facts or evidence not considered in the case,” Dapot added.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Criminal Information and Public Relations Centre of the Attorney General’s Office, Anang Supriatna, stated that the reason the public prosecutors filed the cassation is because the case was transferred on 9 December 2025.
He explained that based on the transitional provisions as per Article 361 letter c of Law Number 20 of 2025 on the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP), criminal cases that have already been transferred to the court and the examination process has begun shall continue to be examined, tried, and decided based on the provisions in Law Number 8 of 1981 on Criminal Procedure or the old KUHAP.
This provision excludes the review process, which follows the rules in the 2025 KUHAP.
Thus, for the Delpedro et al. case that was acquitted, further legal remedies still refer to the old KUHAP.
“Therefore, cassation legal remedies are pursued for that case,” Anang explained in a written statement confirmed by Kompas.com on Tuesday.
According to Delpedro, the public prosecutors’ step is a form of not respecting the court decision and violating the law.