Reasons Why Usman Hamid Considers Gibran's Proposal for Ad Hoc Judges in the Andrie Yunus Case Reasonable

Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, Usman Hamid, considers Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s proposal for professional ad hoc judges in the trial of the acid attack on Kontras activist Andrie Yunus to be reasonable. “I respect that proposal; in my view, legally, the suggestion for ad hoc judges makes sense,” Usman said when contacted by Kompas.com on Friday (10/4/2026). Usman stated that the proposal needs to be clarified by submitting it to the Supreme Court to strengthen the legal opinion. Moreover, Usman noted, Gibran did not specify whether the ad hoc judges would be placed in a military court or a general court. “Therefore, it can be interpreted for both courts. It opens the possibility of options for general and military courts,” he said. For that reason, Usman still hopes that this case will be brought to a general court. “But if it is also held [in military court], it should be subject to strict conditions regarding fairness, one of which is the involvement of ad hoc judges in the panel or bench among military judges; that is possible,” he said. Gibran Proposes Ad Hoc Judges. Previous reports stated that Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming proposed the involvement of professional ad hoc judges in the trial of the acid attack case on Andrie Yunus. “Therefore, the direct involvement of professionals with strong track records and integrity as ad hoc judges in the acid attack court against Brother Andrie Yunus is very important to maintain public trust and the honour of the law,” Gibran wrote in his statement on Thursday (9/4/2026). Gibran also wants justice not only to be upheld but also to be believed by the public. “Justice must be present tangibly in the midst of society, and the legal process must proceed honestly, openly, and accountably,” he added.