Delpedro Acquitted, ISESS: Confirming Public Assumptions, Law Becomes Instrument of Criminalisation

JAKARTA, Kompas.com - A policing analyst from the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies (ISESS), Bambang Rukminto, criticised the police for arresting activist Delpedro Marhaen and associates without solid evidence. Delpedro and his colleagues were acquitted by a panel of judges for lack of evidence that they instigated the August 2025 protests. ‘The acquittal in the Delpedro case reveals problems with arrest standards. If authorities act too quickly in making arrests without a strong evidentiary basis, law enforcement risks turning into criminalisation. This is not merely about wrongful arrests, but also concerns the credibility of the police,’ Bambang told Kompas.com on Sunday (8/3/2026). He added that police often arrest people rapidly without first ensuring the evidence. ‘That also confirms the public assumption that, in the hands of investigators, law can shift from an instrument of justice to an instrument of criminalisation. It also shows a policing culture that sometimes arrests more quickly than it confirms the strength of the evidence,’ he explained. Bambang emphasised that arrests without strong evidence against activists set a dangerous precedent for democracy. He reminded that authorities must not use criminal law as a quick response to political pressure or protests. Previously, the Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, urged law enforcement agencies to exercise caution before arresting, detaining, or prosecuting someone. The statement was made with reference to the alleged incitement case that ensnared Lokataru Foundation Director Delpedro Marhaen Rismansyah and other activists who were ultimately acquitted by the court. According to Yusril, law enforcement must be carried out precisely and fairly so as not to cause losses to those who are ultimately found not guilty by the court. He stressed that if someone is ultimately acquitted, the state has an obligation to restore their good name and to consider compensation for the suffering endured during the legal process. Furthermore, Yusril emphasised that rehabilitation rights for Delpedro and his colleagues have been fulfilled through the judges’ ruling at the Jakarta Pusat District Court. The panel did not only find the charges against Delpedro and his colleagues not proven beyond a reasonable doubt, but also explicitly included rehabilitation in the operative part of the decision. ‘The panel has stated rehabilitating their good name, abilities, and dignity. Therefore, the rehabilitation rights guaranteed by law have been fulfilled through the court’s ruling,’ said Yusril.