YLBHI Highlights Discrepancies in Data on Suspects in Acid Attack on Andrie Yunus, as Revealed by Police and TNI
The Chairman General of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), Muhamad Isnur, has spotlighted discrepancies in the data on suspected perpetrators of the acid attack on KontraS activist Andrie Yunus, as revealed by the police and the TNI. He questions the coordination between institutions in investigating the case.
Isnur appreciates the police’s step in releasing photos and initials of the suspected perpetrators, though he deems it not fully transparent.
“I welcome positively the police investigation conducted over six days, which has already revealed photos and initials. Although we question why his origin has not yet been disclosed, it is a positive effort that should soon lead to an arrest,” he said in Jakarta on Thursday (19/3).
He questions the progress of capturing the perpetrators and the synchronisation of data between Polri and the TNI.
“Then, on the same day that the Metro Jaya Police revealed the perpetrators, TNI headquarters leadership also announced the detention of four individuals. Are these four the same as those revealed by the police?” he said.
According to Isnur, the minimal explanation regarding inter-agency coordination raises significant questions in the public eye. He questions whether there has been data exchange, such as CCTV footage or investigation results, between the police and the TNI.
“We do not see any coordination efforts in their disclosures. The police held their own press conference, and the TNI made their own statement. This raises questions,” he stated.
Furthermore, Isnur reminds that the revelation of the case should not stop at the field-level perpetrators alone. He assesses that there is a possibility of involvement by higher parties in the command structure.
“We are concerned that this revelation only reaches the perpetrator level and does not reach the intellectual actors—who ordered it and who directed it,” he emphasised.
He also assesses that if the perpetrators are indeed from military elements, such actions are unlikely to be carried out without orders from superiors.
“When four BAIS members carry it out, even potentially organised, in my view, this is an operation. A BAIS member’s operation cannot be done without command; there should be no rogue movements,” he said.
Isnur also touched on findings from the fact-finding team regarding previous riot incidents involving security apparatus elements. He mentioned that the victim is part of that fact-finding team.
“There are strong suspicions of member involvement in various previous incidents. Therefore, this must be investigated thoroughly, including whether there are higher parties behind it,” he said.
For this reason, YLBHI urges the formation of a Joint Fact-Finding Team (TGPF) to uncover the case comprehensively.
“We urge the government and various state institutions, together with civil society, to form a joint fact-finding team so that this case does not stop at the field-level perpetrators alone,” he said.