Indictment hearing in acid-attack case against Andrie Yunus postponed to 3 June

Indictment hearing in acid-attack case against KontraS activist Andrie Yunus, involving four soldiers from the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), was postponed and did not take place today, Wednesday 20 May. The hearing is scheduled to be held at Military Court II-08 Jakarta at the start of next month, Wednesday 3 June. The four defendants are Private Two Class Edi Sudarko; First Lieutenant Budhi Hariyanto Widhi; Captain Nandala Dwi Prasetyo; and First Lieutenant Sami Lakka.

The presiding judge, Colonel Chk Fredy Ferdian Isnartanto, queried: “Tuesday 2 June for the experts, Wednesday 3 for the indictment. Thursday 4 for the plea, is that possible?” The defendants’ counsel and the military prosecutor agreed, with the latter noting the arrangement for a plea on the 4th.

In fact, the indictment was originally due today, but was postponed after the prosecutor submitted two expert witnesses, including the doctor who treated Andrie. The defence requested additional time to present a criminal-law expert, which was later scheduled for Tuesday 2 May.

The judge said if the prosecutor wished to call further experts, that would be the last opportunity on 2 June. Plea submissions would be on 4 May, with responses to pleadings and other replies on 8–10 May, and, subject to scheduling, a verdict reading hoped for on 10 May.

“Two additional experts, but with the condition that no further prosecution witnesses will be added. If you want all to be presented on the 2nd, or even the 10th is acceptable. The important thing is that the 2nd is the final date,” the judge stated.

We also must streamline proceedings to expedite matters: plea on the 3 June; on 4 June the defendants’ counsel would present the pleadings; 8–10 June would cover subsequent responses, and, on the 10th, the verdict reading might be carried out.

Previously, the prosecutor charged the four TNI soldiers with pouring acid on the KontraS activist Andrie Yunus. The military prosecutor said the defendants carried out the attack because they were upset with Andrie.

The prosecutor said the four defendants first learned of Andrie on 16 March 2025 when Andrie entered and interrupted a meeting on the revision of the TNI law hosted by the DPR at the Fairmont Hotel in South Jakarta. The defendants said Andrie’s actions had insulted the TNI institution.

“From that incident, the defendants believed Mr Andrie Yunus had degraded the TNI and even spat on the institution,” the prosecutor told the read the charges.

The prosecutor accuses the four soldiers of breaching Article 469(1) in substitution for Article 468(1), and in addition Article 467(1) juncto 2 juncto Article 20 letter C of Law No. 1 of 2023 on the Penal Code.