Reasons for Acid Attack on KontraS Activist Andrie Yunus Revealed in Trial, Turns Out It's Because of This

Jakarta, VIVA – The first hearing of the acid attack case against KontraS Deputy Coordinator Andrie Yunus began at the Military Court II-08 in Jakarta on Wednesday, 29 April 2026. During the trial, the motives of the defendants were revealed, allegedly driven by resentment and criticism towards the TNI institution.

The hearing was presided over by Chief Judge Colonel CHK Fredy Ferdian Isnartanto, along with two associate judges, Lieutenant Colonel KUM Iwan Tasri and Lieutenant Commander Mokhamad Zainal. The four defendants, members of the TNI BAIS Military Police, were brought directly to the trial: Sergeant Two Edi Sudarko (ES), First Lieutenant Budhi Hariyanto Widhi (BHW), Captain Nandala Dwi Prasetyo (NDP), and First Lieutenant Sami Lakka (SL).

In the first hearing agenda, the military prosecutor read out the charges against the defendants. The trial was opened to the public with tight security, where the public and journalists could follow the proceedings after undergoing registration.

Behind this case, the military prosecutor revealed the motives of the defendants, which stemmed from annoyance towards Andrie Yunus’s activities. One of them was when the victim forced his way into a closed meeting discussing revisions to the TNI Law at the Fairmont Jakarta Hotel in March 2025.

“When forcing entry and interrupting at the Fairmont Jakarta Hotel. With that incident, the defendants considered that Andrie Yunus had insulted the TNI institution, even trampling on the TNI institution,” said one of the prosecutors acting as the public prosecutor during the trial at the Military Court II-08 Jakarta, Wednesday, 29 April 2026.

Not only that, the defendants’ resentment was also triggered by various criticisms voiced by Andrie Yunus against the TNI institution, including legal actions pursued through a lawsuit to the Constitutional Court (MK).

“Andrie Yunus has trampled on the TNI institution by Andrie Yunus, together with the KontraS NGO, suing the TNI Law to the MK. In addition, Andrie Yunus accused the TNI of intimidating and carrying out terror at the KontraS office,” he stated.

“And the TNI was also accused as the mastermind or actor in the tragedy of the riots at the end of August 2025. And Andrie Yunus also vigorously promoted an anti-militarism narrative,” he added.

From this series of resentments, the defendants then planned the attack. Even in their internal conversations, the idea emerged to douse the victim with acid as a form of ‘lesson’.