Yusril States Military Judiciary Law Must Be Amended

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra believes that the Military Judiciary Law must indeed be revised.

He expressed this view in response to questions about the case of the sulphuric acid attack on Kontras activist Andrie Yunus, which was carried out by TNI members and is being processed in a military court.

“Yes, I think the law really needs to be changed. Actually, it should have been amended since 2004 with the enactment of the TNI Soldiers Law. But up to now, it hasn’t been changed,” Yusril said at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Monday (27/4/2026).

He explained that jurisdiction can be determined based on the type of criminal offence.

If TNI members commit a general criminal offence, they should be tried in a general court.

Conversely, if they commit an offence in a military context, they will be tried in a military court.

Yusril stated that this mechanism could apply if the Military Judiciary Law is also revised.

“But that would only apply after the Military Judiciary Law is amended. And up to now, it hasn’t been. I helped draft the (TNI) law in 2004. So my successors haven’t continued the work until now, when facing the Yunus case,” he said.

The Andrie Yunus case has revived calls for revising the Military Judiciary Law.

However, according to Yusril, this needs to be discussed again with the DPR RI.

“Not yet (the revision of the TNI Military Judiciary Law has been proposed), because we need to discuss with the DPR to determine the priority scale of which ones will become the legislative programme in the coming year,” he said.

Yusril mentioned that the revision of the Military Judiciary Law could be discussed soon if the DPR wants to discuss it or if there is a Constitutional Court (MK) decision.

“So unless the DPR takes the initiative, it’s fine. Or if someone applies to the Constitutional Court, but before that happens, what applies is the provision of the military judiciary law itself,” Yusril added.