Andrie Yunus acid attack legal proceedings

The Jakarta High Military Court II-06 issued an appeal verdict regarding the March 2026 acid attack on KontraS Vice Coordinator Andrie Yunus. The ruling reduced the prison sentences of Second Sergeant Edi Sudarko and First Lieutenant Budhi Hariyanto Widhi Cahyono by six months each. Furthermore, the court overturned orders for their dishonorable discharge, allowing them to return to active military duty.

Sentences for Captain Nandala Dwi Prasetya and First Lieutenant Sami Lakka remained unchanged at two years and one and a half years, respectively. All four defendants were originally convicted of premeditated assault. The attack resulted in deep burns over 20 percent of Yunus’s body and permanent damage to his right eye.

Civil society groups, including the Advocacy for Democracy Team (TAUD), have condemned the decision, stating it “strengthened the practice of impunity” and suggests military members receive exclusive treatment under the law. Advocates maintain that the attack was a coordinated mission involving more than 16 individuals, a claim the military tribunal has not pursued.

Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai and various activists have urged legal teams to pursue a cassation or judicial review, while calling on the Supreme Court and Judicial Commission to investigate the legal reasoning and potential ethical violations of the judges involved.