Key facts
- Four Indonesian military officers received jail sentences ranging from 1.5 to three years for an acid attack on activist Andrie Yunus.
- The officers were convicted of serious premeditated assault.
- The attack occurred after Yunus interrupted a parliamentary meeting and accused the military of orchestrating protests.
- Rights groups argue the sentences are too lenient and fail to address potential command involvement.
An Indonesian military court has sentenced four officers to jail terms of up to three years for their involvement in an acid attack on activist Andrie Yunus. The sentences, ranging from 1.5 to three years, were handed down after the officers were found guilty of serious premeditated assault. The first defendant received the longest sentence for executing the attack and provoking others, while the second conceived the idea to use acid. The third and fourth defendants were found to have acted passively. The attack occurred after Yunus interrupted a closed-door parliamentary meeting concerning revisions to military law and accused the military of orchestrating nationwide protests.
Prosecutors had sought 2.5-year sentences for all defendants. The chief of the military's intelligence unit resigned in March as a form of responsibility for the attack. The assault left Yunus with burns on 20% of his body and severe damage to his right eye. Lawyers for the defendants stated they would consider an appeal. Amnesty International Indonesia stated the verdict brings no justice and fails to consider the involvement of other actors or the chain of command.