Four members of an Indonesian military intelligence unit received prison sentences in Jakarta after being convicted of an acid attack on human rights advocate Andrie Yunus. This case, scrutinized for being handled by a military court, has sparked criticism from human rights activists.
The attack occurred in March, targeting Andrie Yunus, known for his vocal criticism of Indonesia’s military. The sentences ranged from 18 months to three years, although the maximum penalty could have been 12 years.
Critics argue that the trial should have been conducted by civilian judges. They contend that the military court process shields the military’s institutional integrity. Amnesty International Indonesia’s executive director, Usman Hamid, called the trial ‘a blatant whitewash,’ asserting it fails to deliver justice for Andrie Yunus.
Mr. Yunus, 27, serves as deputy coordinator of the rights group Kontras. He sustained burns on 24 percent of his body and damage to his right eye after an attacker threw acid at him while he was on his motorbike in Jakarta.
Despite the severity of his injuries, which have required multiple surgeries, Mr. Yunus opposed the case’s transfer to military prosecutors and the subsequent military court trial. He chose not to testify during the proceedings.