Kontras Doubts Proposal for Ad Hoc Judges in Andrie Case from Gibran
Coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Dimas Bagus Arya, responded to Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s proposal regarding the involvement of professionals as ad hoc judges in the case of the premeditated attempted murder of Andrie Yunus. Dimas stated that there is no clause in Law No. 31 of 1997 on Military Justice that addresses ad hoc judges outside of military judges.
“But in the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP), what the Vice President might mean is related to the mechanism of connectedness. Article 170 of the KUHAP,” Dimas said when met in front of the State Secretariat Ministry on Friday, 17 April 2026.
The connected court is a mechanism for trying criminal acts committed jointly by civilians and military personnel. This provision stipulates that the determination of the judicial forum is based on the weight of the harm, including civilian interests.
Dimas stated that the Supreme Court, as the judicial authority in Indonesia, can propose the establishment of a connected court filled with judges comprising military and civilian judges. “And that is then of an ad hoc or temporary nature. Perhaps that is what the Vice President means,” Dimas said.
Nevertheless, Dimas said he has not yet fully grasped Gibran’s intention. The reason is that the statement from Indonesia’s number two official remains superficial. “But what we suspect is that it may be related to the mechanism of connected courts,” Dimas said.
For Dimas, the connected court to resolve the case of the acid attack on his colleague at Kontras is the most basic or minimal form of responsibility.
He explained that in the new KUHAP, the reason for establishing a connected court does not only stem from who the perpetrators are. In this case, he said, the determination of the judicial forum also concerns whose interests are most harmed and who the victim is.
Dimas assessed that the context of the Andrie case already meets the rules regarding the establishment of the connected court mechanism.
“But again, what is very important is the political willingness from the judicial authorities in this case. The Attorney General’s Office as dominus litis and the Supreme Court as the current authority in the judicial branch in the Republic of Indonesia,” Dimas stated.
Human rights activist Andrie Yunus was doused with corrosive chemical liquid on 12 March when passing through Jalan Salemba I-Talang, Central Jakarta. Medical records state that Andrie suffered burns over more than 20 percent due to this attack.
The TNI Military Police Centre stated that there were only four perpetrators of the dousing. They are NDP, SL, BHW, and ES, from the air and sea branches. NDP holds the rank of captain, SL and BHW hold the rank of first lieutenant, while ES holds the rank of second sergeant.
The latest development, the Military Audit Office Il-07 Jakarta has handed over the case file of the acid dousing against Andrie Yunus to the Military Court II-08 Jakarta on Thursday, 16 April 2026. The first trial session with the agenda of reading the indictment is scheduled for Wednesday, 29 April 2026.
On the other hand, the Advocacy Team for Democracy (TAUD), which conducted an independent investigation, identified at least 16 field perpetrators. The dozen perpetrators are suspected of being involved in surveillance, stalking, to coordination ahead of the attack on Andrie on 12 March 2026.