Indonesian service members in court over acid attack on activist

Key Points:

• Four Indonesian military personnel, including three navy marines and one air force officer, are on trial in a military court for an acid attack on human rights activist Andrie Yunus, who suffered severe injuries including loss of sight in one eye.
• Prosecutors claim the attack was motivated by personal reasons to deter Yunus from criticizing the military, but human rights groups dispute this, highlighting the use of military resources and lack of transparency in the case.
• The trial has reignited concerns about military impunity in Indonesia, with critics arguing the case should be tried in civilian court and calling for a full investigation into who ordered the attack.
• Yunus, known for his activism against impunity and military involvement in civilian affairs, was targeted after protesting proposed military law changes; his case draws parallels to the unresolved 2004 murder of activist Munir Said Thalib.
• President Prabowo Subianto has promised to pursue those responsible and is considering an independent fact-finding team, with the trial seen as a test of Indonesia’s military reforms and commitment to accountability since the fall of Suharto.