Indonesian military court reduces sentences in acid attack on activist

The Jakarta High Military Court II-06 has reduced the prison sentences of Indonesian National Armed Forces personnel convicted of an acid attack against human rights defender Andrie Yunus. The appellate court decision, dated August 20, 2026, cut the sentences of Second Sergeant Edi Sudarko and First Lieutenant Budhi Hariyanto Widhi Cahyono by six months each. Additionally, the court overturned their dismissals from military service, allowing them to return to active duty.

Other defendants, Captain Nandala Dwi Prasetya and First Lieutenant Sami Lakka, had their sentences left unchanged at two years and one and a half years, respectively. All four were originally convicted of premeditated assault. The attack, which occurred in March 2026, left Yunus, the deputy coordinator for KontraS, with deep burns over 20 percent of his body and permanent damage to his right eye.

The Advocacy Team for Democracy (TAUD) has condemned the ruling, stating it “strengthened the practice of impunity” and suggests military members receive exclusive treatment under the law. TAUD is calling on the Supreme Court and the Judicial Commission to investigate alleged ethical violations by the judges. The advocacy group also maintains that the attack was a coordinated mission involving more than 16 individuals, a claim the military tribunal has not pursued.