Yusril: Dismissal of TNI Personnel Sends Firm Message of Zero Tolerance for Violence

Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra has stated that the dismissal of two TNI personnel in connection with the alleged abuse of Andrie Yunus sends a firm message that state institutions do not tolerate acts of violence and abuse of authority. He stressed there is no place for rogue officers who commit anarchic acts, violate the law, or use violence to silence others. “State institutions must be clean of behaviour that harms public trust and the principles of the rule of law,” Yusril said as confirmed in Jakarta on Wednesday.

In the alleged assault case against Andrie, four defendants have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 1 year and 6 months to 3 years. The four defendants are Sergeant Dua Edi Sudarko, sentenced to 3 years in prison; First Lieutenant Budhi Hariyanto Widhi, sentenced to 2 years and 6 months; Captain Nandala Dwi Prasetya, sentenced to 2 years; and First Lieutenant Sami Lakka, sentenced to 1 year and 6 months. In addition to the prison sentences, Edi and Budhi each received an additional penalty of dismissal from military service. In the judges’ considerations, Edi was deemed to have been the provocateur, while Budhi was the originator of the idea to douse Andrie with acid.

Yusril therefore welcomed the panel of judges’ decision to impose additional penalties on the two defendants. He further emphasised that the government is committed to protecting freedom of expression and guaranteeing a healthy democratic space for all citizens. He stated that civil society activists and human rights organisations have an important role in overseeing the course of democracy and law enforcement. “Activists, including Andrie Yunus and civil society organisations like KontraS, are part of the democratic ecosystem that must be respected,” he said.

The government therefore rejects all forms of intimidation, physical violence, or acts of revenge outside legal mechanisms against citizens who express criticism or opinions. The Coordinating Minister also expressed deep concern over the impact suffered by the victim as a result of the incident, including serious injuries causing permanent damage to one of the victim’s eyes. He asserted that justice is measured not only by the sentences handed down to the perpetrators, but also by the attention paid to the victim’s recovery. The government hopes that the victim’s rights to recovery and protection will continue to be observed in accordance with the provisions of applicable legislation.

He added that the government will continue to encourage fair, transparent, and accountable law enforcement for every violation of the law regardless of the perpetrator’s background. “Indonesia is a state of law. Everyone has equal standing before the law and every violation must be processed through the applicable legal mechanisms,” the Coordinating Minister stated. He said the verdict serves as a reminder that acts of violence and vigilantism cannot be justified in a democratic state that upholds the law and human rights.

In this case, the four TNI personnel were proven to have doused Andrie with acid with the aim of teaching him a lesson and creating a “deterrent effect” so he would not disparage the TNI institution. The defendants perceived Andrie’s actions as having insulted the TNI institution, which occurred on 16 March 2025 when the activist from the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) forced his way in and interrupted a meeting on the revision of the TNI Law in Jakarta. Other actions that angered the defendants included Andrie challenging the TNI Law at the Constitutional Court, accusing the TNI of intimidating or terrorising the KontraS office, being the mastermind or actor behind the riots in late August 2025, and vocally promoting anti-militarism narratives. The judges found the actions of the TNI personnel, who had planned to douse Andrie with acid knowing the chemical could cause severe burns, were unbecoming of TNI members. For their actions, the four defendants were proven guilty of violating Article 467 paragraph (1) in conjunction with paragraph (2) jo. Article 20 letter C of the National Criminal Code.