Public Urged to Respect and Oversee Military Court Mechanism in Acid Attack Case
Jakarta – The legal process in the acid attack case against activist Andrie Yunus is ongoing within the framework of the military court system.
The government, through the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), has reaffirmed its commitment to resolving the case in a professional, transparent, and accountable manner, while also urging the public to respect and oversee the applicable legal mechanisms.
Head of the TNI Information Center (Kapuspen), Major General Aulia Dwi Nasrullah, stated that four military personnel have been officially named as suspects: Captain NDP, First Lieutenant SL, First Lieutenant BHW, and Second Sergeant ES.
“All four suspects have been formally charged and are currently detained in a military detention facility,” he said.
He added that the investigation process is ongoing, with additional evidence and testimonies being gathered to strengthen the case file.
The handling of the case initially involved civilian law enforcement authorities before being transferred to military jurisdiction due to the suspects’ status as active-duty soldiers.
Legal practitioner Fransiscus Xaverius Tangkudung emphasized that the military justice mechanism is a legitimate legal provision and should not be subject to subjective debate.
“If the alleged perpetrators are active-duty soldiers, then military court jurisdiction is not a choice but a legal mandate. This must be understood objectively and should not be politicized,” he explained.
According to him, debates over the judicial forum risk obscuring the main issue, namely law enforcement itself. He stressed that the key principle is to ensure the process runs fairly, transparently, and accountably.
“It is incorrect to say that military courts are entirely closed. The public still has room to monitor the process through media coverage and public oversight,” he noted.
Tangkudung also reminded that criticism should remain constructive and should not lead public opinion toward unfounded distrust of state legal institutions. He warned that excessive pressure from public opinion could potentially disrupt the independence of legal proceedings.
“The integrity of law enforcement must be preserved. We must not allow opinion pressure to damage a system that has been established by the constitution,” he asserted.
On the other hand, the swift action by the TNI Military Police (Puspom) in naming suspects has received appreciation from various elements of society, including the National Student Movement (GMPK).
Chairman of GMPK Jakarta, Asip Irama, described the decisive action as evidence of the TNI’s commitment to upholding the law without discrimination.
“The designation of suspects from within the institution shows a strong commitment to maintaining institutional integrity. It also breaks the negative stigma that law enforcement officers are above the law,” he concluded.
