Indonesian Activists Seek Justice as Military Power Expands

At the crossroad of Salemba I Street and Talang Street in Central Jakarta, just before midnight on Thursday, 12 March 2026, two men riding on a motorcycle attacked human rights activist Andrie Yunus by throwing acid at him and then fleeing. The attack caused serious burns on 24 per cent of his body, including his hands, face, chest, and eyes.

Yunus, 27, served as Deputy Coordinator of KontraS, a human rights group that investigated violence and enforced disappearances. On 16 March 2025, he stormed a closed-door meeting of House of Representatives members at a hotel, where they discussed revisions to military law. He shouted objections to the meeting, and security dragged him out, causing him to fall to the ground. The House passed the regulation days later, despite his protest.

A year later, he fell to the ground again when acid was flung upon him, his screams echoing on the roadside at night. Through emergency response, intensive care, and surgeries at the hospital, his life was saved.

Within six days, police identified four attackers but disclosed their identities to the public only by initials. Meanwhile, the Military Police Commander noted all perpetrators were Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS) soldiers. This raised questions about discrepancies between the identities disclosed by the police and the army. Later, the police referred the case to the MP Headquarters. On 5 April 2026, Yunus submitted a vote of no confidence in the MP Headquarters’ handling of the case via an open letter to the Constitutional Court judge and the public.

Fact-Finding Team and Public Court

‘Why did the police hand the case over to the Military Police HQ? Ideally, their investigation should have continued to uncover both the perpetrators and masterminds. However, it appears the police did not fulfill the President’s order, possibly due to pressure from the MP HQ,’ said Muhammad Isnur, Director of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), a prominent NGO promoting access to justice, human rights, and legal reform to FairPlanet on Monday, 6 April 2026, at his office.

He also founded a civil society coalition called the Advocacy for Democracy Team (TAUD), serving as one of its coordinators and spokespersons for the victim, Yunus. In response to this incident, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has called for an investigation and the prosecution of all those involved.

Isnur said that TAUD identified 16 suspects by examining acid traces and watching CCTV footage. He even urged the President to establish a Joint Independent Fact-Finding Mission with representatives from the government, the National Human Rights Commission, the Office of the Ombudsman, civil society, experts, academics, and investigators. He concluded, ‘From the outset, we in TAUD pushed for this case to be brought to a public court.’

Amnesty International Indonesia data show that over the past three years, reports of attacks and bullying involving human rights defenders and groups have steadily increased. There were 188 reported victims in 2025, an 82.5 per cent rise from 103 in 2023.

Before the latest incident, then-President Joko Widodo set up the Independent Joint Fact-Finding Team in 2022 by decree to investigate the Kanjuruhan tragedy, which killed 135 people. This investigation resulted in a public court trial that led to lenient sentences for the five defendants.

According to Isnur, the Kanjuruhan cases left law enforcement outcomes weak. He noted a recurring pattern: former anti-corruption investigator Novel Baswedan was attacked with acid in 2017 and received a similarly lenient court ruling, as did the 2020 killings of six civic organisation members—those incidents involving police officers.

In May and October 2025, YLBHI and the Security Sector Reform Coalition petitioned the Constitutional Court for a judicial review of the new military law. This law allows active-duty officers to hold civilian bureaucratic posts and participate in non-military operations. These petitions echo Yunus’s protest a year earlier, showing that the current legal actions directly respond to previously raised concerns.

Impunity for Perpetrators

‘Remilitarisation has concerned society and politics since President Subianto's election. Attacks on Yunus aimed to end his activism. The act required significant intelligence and infrastructure. The case was suitable for civilian justice but was brought before the military court system,’ said Dr. Herdiansyah Hamzah, a law lecturer at Mulawarman University to FairPlanet on Monday, 6 April 2026, via Zoom meeting.

He said the army’s takeover of the investigation might have protected those involved in the attack. This, he added, could hinder the discovery of the masterminds and lead to impunity. Crimes against people and democracy remain unresolved. Military justice might not always identify who directed the attack on Yunus.

‘Meanwhile, even public courts with open trials, such as the Kanjuruhan case, may not always provide a sense of justice for the victim; reports and public opinion have highlighted dissatisfaction with verdicts. Could this become even more complex if proceedings were held behind closed doors within the military court system?’ Hamzah asked.

He emphasized that public courts allow civilians to scrutinize every stage of a case—allegations, charges, and indictments—and verify the process. According to Hamzah, military justice, by contrast, hides proceedings behind closed doors, shields details from scrutiny, and blocks independent verification. The government’s refusal to answer calls for a joint fact-finding team signals its disregard for accountability.

Harm to Soldier’s Oath

Kisenda Wiranatakusumah, former Head of the Strategic Intelligence Agency, said he was stunned by the Military Police Center’s allegation that all BAIS perpetrators were implicated. He retired as Vice Air Marshal and left his post at BAIS in 2020. Since then, he has closely followed developments concerning the establishment. 

Upon hearing the news, he acknowledged the weight of the charge. He was shocked and went through a range of emotions: sadness, anger, and finally disappointment. Expressing his turmoil, he said, ‘How could such an incident happen? Why did it involve BAIS, the institution I once led?’ The circumstance was a blow to the agency.

‘This incident staggered me. Previously, BAIS soldiers refrained from violence against civilians, and no regulations permitted harm to citizens. Thus, this occurrence was a rare exception,’ he said through an interview with FairPlanet on Thursday, 2 April 2026, in Jakarta.

Wiranatakusumah asserted that selfish, vigilante, and thuggish behaviour is a global issue, not limited to Indonesia. He clarified that this type of misconduct occurs in institutions outside the military as well. He questioned, ‘Did an institution commit this act? I don’t believe the Head of BAIS was involved. Lieutenant General Yudi Abrimantyo, who has resigned, was my subordinate.’ Wiranatakusumah suggested that the incident happened due to an overreaction or a misunderstanding of instructions. He emphasizes that the work of advocates and civil society organisations is crucial to ensuring the justice system is properly applied to both perpetrators and victims.

‘It’s understandable to have some concern because this involves the military, where court proceedings are often perceived as not transparent. KontraS and the military must ensure the justice system functions properly and consistently. The president has stated this situation must be handled in a decisive and transparent manner,’ he added, urging all parties not to presume the process will result in negative outcomes.

Yet, the attack tarnishes his legacy. Wiranatakusumah described the violence as futile and said it harmed the agency’s reputation. ‘Recruitment must improve. The intelligence unit is vital. It demands capable individuals truly dedicated to national defense and ethical standards,’ he said.

‘Recruit intelligent individuals who meet the legal criteria of the soldier's oath to maintain the organisation's integrity. Uphold these values so leaders guide members to act ethically and avoid wrongdoing.’ 

Every operation must be accountable, especially for violations that put lives at risk. Strict punishment for these offenses deters both perpetrators and planners. Such consequences are crucial to prevent incidents similar to the one involving Yunus.