Civil Society Coalition Urges TNI to Comply with Gibran's Statement on Andrie Case
The Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform views Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s statement on the acid attack case against Andrie Yunus as an impetus to resolve the matter through civilian courts, not military ones.
That statement responds to Gibran’s written remarks on 9 April 2026, which emphasised the importance of involving professional and integrity-driven figures as ad hoc judges in the court handling the case. Gibran’s stance was conveyed a day after the TNI Military Police Centre handed over the investigation file to the military prosecutor.
The coalition assesses that the emphasis on ad hoc judges is only feasible within the civilian justice system. “It cannot be interpreted otherwise than that the case resolution must be carried out through civilian courts,” said YLBHI Chairman Muhamad Isnur, representing the coalition in a press release, quoted on Saturday, 11 April 2026.
According to the coalition, the statement also indicates problems in the aspects of professionalism and integrity within the military justice environment. The presence of ad hoc judges is deemed necessary to maintain public trust and ensure the legal process runs independently.
The coalition views that the TNI should immediately halt the legal process in the military court and hand it over to the civilian court. That demand refers to the principle of equality before the law as well as the military judicial reform agenda that limits the authority of that institution to disciplinary violations and military crimes.
“If the TNI insists on continuing the process in the military court, that stance is assessed as defiance against government policy and has the potential to damage the principle of civil supremacy in a democratic state,” he said.
The coalition consists of Imparsial, Centra Initiative, YLBHI, KontraS, Amnesty International Indonesia, WALHI, ICJR, LBH Jakarta, HRWG, ICW, AJI Indonesia, as well as several other institutions such as DeJure, Raksha Initiatives, LBH Pers, PBHI, Indonesia RISK Center, LBH Masyarakat, LBH Apik Jakarta, KPI, and SETARA Institute.
Gibran previously called for the involvement of professionals as ad hoc judges in the prosecution of the Andrie case. He stated that the government is committed to supporting the strengthening of the judicial system to achieve the principle of justice.
“The direct involvement of professionals with strong track records and integrity as ad hoc judges in the acid attack court against Andrie Yunus is important,” he said in his written statement on Thursday, 9 April 2026.
Gibran stated that justice in the case afflicting Andrie must truly be present in a tangible manner. The law enforcement process, he said, must also proceed honestly, openly, and accountably. “We want justice not only enforced, but also believed in by society,” said the former Mayor of Solo.