Four Indonesian soldiers are on trial for an acid attack on activist Andrie Yunus, who opposed military involvement in government. The attack occurred on March 12, and the soldiers face up to 12 years in prison if convicted.
Mentioned in this story
A trial has opened in a military court in Jakarta for four Indonesian soldiers accused of carrying out an acid attack on an activist who campaigned against the expansion of the role of the armed forces in government.
Military prosecutors charged the group, including Edi Sudarko, Budi Hariyanto Widhi Cahyono, Nandala Dwi Prasetia and Sami Lakka, on Wednesday with serious meditated assault, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 years under Indonesia’s criminal code.
The defendants, who were represented by military-appointed lawyers, appeared in court in fatigues. A defence lawyer for the men told the court they would not dispute the indictment, allowing the trial to proceed.
The attack unfolded on March 12, when activist Andrie Yunus – a deputy coordinator with the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) – was riding a motorbike in Jakarta. Two men on another motorbike doused him with acid.
Visitors walk past a mural featuring Andrie Yunus, the deputy coordinator of the KontraS rights group, who suffered serious injuries when two men on a scooter threw acid at him, at a Mural Exhibition, ‘From Citizens for Andrie’, in Jakarta, on April 27, 2026 [AFP]
Andrie, 27, received burns across more than 20 percent of his face and body and was blinded in one eye, according to military prosecutor Mohammad Iswadi.
Although police at first identified two other suspects based on CCTV footage, four others were ultimately arrested.
They all worked for the Indonesian military’s Strategic Intelligence Agency, whose chief has since resigned, though a reason was not provided.
Iswadi said the group was angered over Andrie’s activism, but was not working on official orders.
At the time of the attack, Andrie had just finished recording a podcast, criticising what he describes as the militarisation of the Indonesian government under President Prabowo Subianto, a former general.
The soldiers are charged with serious meditated assault, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 years.
Andrie Yunus is an activist and deputy coordinator with the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS), who was attacked while riding his motorbike in Jakarta.
The acid attack on Andrie Yunus took place on March 12.
The trial highlights ongoing tensions regarding the role of the military in Indonesian governance and the risks faced by activists opposing military influence.
Global tropical rainforest loss slowed in 2025, with 43,000 sq km lost, primarily due to Brazil's anti-deforestation efforts. However, the El Niño weather pattern could threaten this progress by increasing forest fire risks.
PM defends his record as Badenoch claims he squandered political capital
Court hears of money offered to Ukrainians for arson attacks on properties linked to PM Starmer.
King Charles III's address to Congress highlights democracy and climate change, earning 12 ovations.
Families of shooting victims in Canada sue OpenAI for negligence related to ChatGPT.
UK refineries are being asked to maximize jet fuel production amid fears of supply disruptions from the Iran war.
See every story in News — including breaking news and analysis.
He had also protested an amendment ratified by Indonesia’s parliament last year, allowing active-duty military personnel to be appointed to a wider range of government posts, including in the attorney general’s office, national disaster mitigation and the counterterrorism agency.
Advocacy for Democracy Team (TAUD) members hold posters in solidarity with Andrie Yunus in Jakarta, Indonesia, March 16, 2026 [Willy Kurniawan/Reuters]
Rights groups criticised the move as boosting military involvement in public affairs, potentially leading to abuses of power and human rights.
“The suspects deemed Andrie Yunus to have insulted and stomped on the military as an institution,” Iswadi said.
The Indonesian human rights watchdog, Komnas HAM, has separately claimed that at least 14 people were linked to the attack.
The incident “could lead to fear among civilians to criticise government officials”, the group warned.
According to Iswadi, the four men planned the attack at their military lodgings in Jakarta.
One of them obtained “rust removal fluid” from a military workshop and mixed it with battery fluid, he said, before the group went searching for Andrie on motorbikes.
The next hearing is scheduled for May 6, when the prosecution is expected to produce witnesses.