Yusril Says Delpedro Has Shown Gentlemanly Attitude in Facing Legal Proceedings
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra said Lokataru Foundation director Delpedro Marhaen Rismansyah had shown a gentlemanly stance by pursuing the legal process through to the court. He made the statement in response to Delpedro’s earlier remarks that had touched on Yusril’s own call for a gentlemanly attitude when facing legal proceedings.
‘To Delpedro I first ask that he not whine when he is arrested and detained. As an activist he must be brave to defend himself in a gentlemanly fashion both at the investigation stage and in court. He has done that,’ Yusril told Kompas.com, on Saturday (7/3/2026).
He believes an activist should confront the legal process openly and defend themselves through the judiciary. According to Yusril, Delpedro’s decision to continue with the legal process until he was ultimately acquitted demonstrates that attitude.
Moreover, he stressed that the rehabilitation rights for Delpedro and his colleagues have been fulfilled through the panel of judges’ ruling at Pengadilan Negeri Jakarta Pusat (Central Jakarta District Court). ‘The panel of judges has stated that they rehabilitate the good name, capability, and dignity of Delpedro and others. Therefore, the rehabilitation rights guaranteed by law have been fulfilled through the court’s decision, so the President does not need to issue a rehabilitation decision if Delpedro applies for one,’ he explained.
Regarding the demand for damages, Yusril explained that the mechanism can be pursued through pretrial in accordance with the provisions in the new KUHAP. ‘Compensation must be pursued through the pretrial mechanism as set out in Articles 173, 174, and 175 of the new KUHAP. Whatever the court’s decision later, the government will be bound by and respect that decision,’ Yusril said.
He added that if Delpedro makes such a request, the move could even set a new precedent in Indonesia’s legal practice.
After being acquitted, Delpedro referred to Yusril’s earlier statement that asked him to be a ‘gentleman’ in facing the legal process. ‘Today I want to address Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra, who when I was first arrested challenged me to be a gentleman facing the judiciary, and now we have faced the judiciary and we have been declared not guilty and free,’ Delpedro said.