TNI BAIS Leadership Change a Positive Signal, Komnas HAM Urges Commander to Investigate
Commissioner of Komnas HAM, Amiruddin al Rahab, has responded to the replacement of the Head of BAIS TNI, Lieutenant General Yudi Abrimantyo. According to him, it is a positive signal for the accountability of leaders in the BAIS agency. However, he assessed that the replacement of the BAIS Head has not yet brought justice and the fulfilment of human rights.
“The TNI Commander needs to order the Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Police TNI to examine the dismissed BAIS Head transparently. This examination is necessary to ensure the degree of involvement and command responsibility of leaders and members who planned, designed the action, and directly operated in the field carrying out the acid splashing,” Amiruddin stressed through a written statement in Jakarta on Friday (27/3).
In the context of human rights protection and fulfilment, he said that every use of state facilities and abuse of authority by state apparatus must be legally accountable.
Therefore, Amiruddin al Rahab conveyed that the TNI Commander needs to open access to the parties, including Komnas HAM.
He requested that Komnas HAM be given access to delve into the involvement of each TNI member suspected of being directly involved and participating in the acid splashing incident against KontraS activist Andrie Yunus on the night of 12 March 2026.
“Examination of all involved parties, especially the BAIS Head, is important for the public, as well as important for law enforcement,” he said.
According to him, terror incidents like the one experienced by Andrie Yunus have occurred several times, without any clarity and adequate legal accountability.
As reported, the acid splashing incident against KontraS activist Andrie Yunus has entered a new phase, namely explanations from the Head of the Information Service of the TNI and the Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Police TNI regarding the involvement of four TNI members assigned to BAIS TNI in the splashing incident.
The Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, Usman Hamid, emphasised that the step taken by TNI BAIS Head Lieutenant General Yudi Abrimantyo in surrendering his position is not yet sufficient.
Imparsial assessed that the surrender of the position of Head of the Strategic Intelligence Agency or BAIS TNI without being accompanied by an official transparent explanation.
The dismissal of TNI BAIS Head Yudi Abrimantyo is deemed not yet sufficient to answer the demands for justice in the acid splashing case against Andrie Yunus.
The step taken by Lieutenant General Yudi Abrimantyo in surrendering the BAIS TNI position following the acid splashing case is seen as a real example of institutional accountability for the public.