Indonesian soldiers face allegations over acid attack incident in local community

Trial Begins for Indonesian Soldiers Accused of Acid Attack on Activist

A trial has commenced in a military court in Jakarta, Indonesia, for four soldiers accused of carrying out an acid attack on activist Andrie Yunus. The incident occurred on March 12, when two men threw acid at Yunus while he was riding a motorbike in Jakarta. According to the military prosecutor, Mohammad Iswadi, the attack left Yunus blind in one eye and with burns on more than 20 percent of his face and body.

The four soldiers, all linked to the Strategic Intelligence Agency, have been charged with premeditated assault, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison. The agency’s chief has since stepped down without explanation.

Yunus had been a vocal critic of recent efforts to expand the military’s role in civilian governance in Indonesia. He protested against an amendment passed last year that allows active-duty military personnel to hold government positions, including in the attorney general’s office and disaster management agencies.

The United Nations has condemned the attack, with High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk calling it a “cowardly act of violence” and Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor describing it as “horrific”.

Rights groups have raised concerns about impunity and the fairness of the trial. Amnesty International regional researcher Chanatip Tatiyakaroonwong has expressed concerns about the use of military courts, citing a lack of impartiality, independence, and transparency.

The attack is part of a broader trend in Indonesia of pressure on activists and journalists. Observers have noted that the incident reflects a steady rise in repression over the past decade.

In related incidents, investigative news outlet Tempo received packages containing a severed pig’s head and rat carcasses in March 2025, which were seen as an attempt to intimidate critics.

Source: Al Jazeera