Komnas HAM Questions Danpuspom to Wakapuspen TNI on Acid Attack
The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has concluded taking statements from TNI representatives in connection with the investigation into the acid attack on Deputy External Coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) Andrie Yunus, on Wednesday (1/4).
The questioning took place from afternoon until evening.
The TNI personnel present included Commander of the Military Police Centre (Danpuspom) Major General Yusri Nuryanto, Head of the Legal Development Agency (Kababinkum) Rear Admiral (Junior) Farid Ma’ruf, Deputy Head of the Legal Information Centre (Wakapuspen) Colonel Arh Osmar Silalahi, and several mid-level officers.
“Today, we at Komnas HAM focused on several issues. First, we wanted to obtain information on what the TNI did before 18 March (2026); on 18 March, the TNI held a press conference stating they had detained four individuals. So, what had the TNI done prior to that to designate those four as suspects,” said Coordinator of the Komnas HAM Subcommission on Human Rights Enforcement Pramono Ubaid Tanthowi when met at his office in Jakarta on Wednesday (1/4).
The questioning process was held in closed session. Afterwards, journalists were briefly obstructed by civilians when attempting to photograph the departing TNI officials from the Komnas HAM office.
Pramono added that they also delved into the TNI’s law enforcement process. This is because a day after announcing an investigation into suspected internal perpetrators, the TNI detained four individuals from the Headquarters Detachment (Denma) of the Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS) under the Navy and Air Force elements.
“We also examined several aspects related to the investigative steps taken by the Military Police Centre after 19 March, after receiving the transfer of case files and evidence from Metro Jaya Police. Subsequently, the Military Police Centre conducted the investigation. That is what we probed from the Military Police Centre until they designated the four suspects,” Pramono stated.
Superior orders
During the questioning, Pramono added that Komnas HAM also inquired whether there were orders from superiors or a command structure behind the acid attack carried out by TNI BAIS members on Andrie.
“Of course, Komnas HAM posed questions regarding whether this was part of an operation or not. For example, if it was part of an operation, was there a superior’s order?” Pramono said.
Next week, Komnas HAM has scheduled to take statements from the four suspects and several experts. Komnas HAM will further coordinate with the TNI Military Police Centre on the technicalities of the examination.
“For taking statements from the four suspects, we still need to follow procedures. Institutionally, we must first submit a written request letter,” Pramono explained.
Andrie Yunus was doused with acid about two weeks ago after delivering a podcast at the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) office titled “Remilitarisation & Judicial Review of the TNI Law”.
Police had initially announced the initials of two suspects, but at the same time, the TNI stated they had detained four individuals from TNI BAIS as the field perpetrators of the acid attack on Andrie. They are NDP, SL, BHW, and ES.
Meanwhile, the Advocacy Team for Democracy (TAUD), comprising several civil society organisations, claimed that the field perpetrators of the acid attack on Andrie involved at least 16 people. TAUD described this as an intelligence operation.
“We have identified at least 16 field perpetrators. Even, if given further opportunity, we would be happy to discuss and present the evidence, but then we saw the case transfer process,” said Director of the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH) Fadhil Alfathan during a Hearing with Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) in Jakarta on Tuesday (31/3).