Delpedro Marhaen Cleared, Demands Yusril's Pledge and State Redress

Activist Delpedro Marhaen pressed the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, to honour his pledge and urged the state to restore his good name after he was acquitted by the Central Jakarta District Court on Friday, 6 March. Delpedro is seeking rehabilitation of his honour and dignity after six months’ detention which he says was unfounded. He argues that this legal victory is not merely a personal triumph but a symbol of victory for all Indonesians who fight for democracy and freedom of expression.

‘This acquittal is not only for the four of us but for all political prisoners and the Indonesian people. We faced a judiciary that was at one point challenged by the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Yusril Ihza Mahendra at the time of our arrest. Now we have proven ourselves not guilty and are free!’ Delpedro said at the Jakarta Pusat District Court on Friday. He urged the state to be responsible for material and moral damages suffered during his imprisonment since late 2025, noting the loss of the right to work and to continue studies, and the heavy costs of the trial.

‘We ask the state to restore our dignity. We spent six months in prison for acts that were later deemed not guilty. Imagine how unfair that is. We lost our jobs and time for university,’ he added. Delpedro praised the courage of the judges in applying human rights principles and freedom of expression in their ruling. He hopes the decision will become jurisprudence or a reference for judges in other regions such as East Java, West Java and Central Java, which are hearing similar cases.

‘We hope this sets a precedent. All political prisoners essentially fight for democracy; they should be released immediately,’ he said. The Prosecutor’s Office should be magnanimous in accepting this ruling and refrain from further legal steps such as appeals or cassation. Ending the case at the first instance would be a concrete step to safeguard the democratic climate.

The panel of judges at PN Jakarta Pusat formally handed down acquittals for four activists in the ruling. The four were previously accused of incitement related to a mass demonstration in August 2025. The verdict automatically dismisses the charges against the defendants. The judge said that the entire indictment—ranging from incitement, hate speech under SARA, the spread of false information, to child exploitation—was not proven beyond a reasonable doubt in court. Amnesty International welcomed the acquittal, calling it a moment to halt the criminalisation of activists and civilians. The acquittal is not just for the four but for all Indonesian political prisoners.