Coordinating Ministry For Political, Legal And Security Affairs Affirms Law To Be The Basis For Ex-Marine TNI To Become Russian Soldiers Wanting To Become Indonesian Citizens Again

JAKARTA - Deputy Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Lodewijk Freidrich Paulus said his party adhered to the applicable regulations and laws when asked about the former Marine Satria Arta Kumbara who asked to return to Indonesia.

"What is the rule? The person concerned wants to return, of course, we will adjust it according to the applicable laws and regulations. So we'll just have to wait for the process procedure," said Lodewijk when met at the office of the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Central Jakarta, Friday, July 25, which was confiscated by Antara.

According to Lodewijk, if based on the applicable law, Satria had lost citizenship rights when she joined a group of Russian mercenaries.

In addition, said Lodewijk, Satria has also been fired from units since 2023 of the TNI because they have not been on duty in 2022.

The two reasons, said Lodewijk, made the government unable to take further action to respond to Satria's request to return to Indonesia.

When asked what administrative steps Satria could take if he wanted to return to Indonesia, Lodewijk did not explain in detail

Previously, the Head of the Indonesian Navy Information Service (Kadispenal) First Admiral TNI Tunggul said Satria was no longer a member of the TNI.

Even the Indonesian Navy, said Tunggul, would not want to respond to Satria's request to return to being an Indonesian citizen.

"It is more appropriate to ask the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or also the Indonesian Ministry of Law regarding the citizenship status concerned. What is clear is that there is no longer any connection with the Indonesian Navy," said Tunggul when confirmed in Jakarta, Monday, July 21.

According to Tunggul, the Indonesian Navy will continue to hold the decision of the Jakarta Military Court II-08, April 6, 2023, which states that Satria Arta Kumbara has been legally and convincingly proven guilty of committing a criminal act of 'Desertment in peace time' starting from June 13, 2022 until now.

Not only that, based on Case Decision Number 56-K/PM.II-08/AL/IV/2023, Satria Arta Kumbara was also sentenced to one year in prison and fired from the TNI.

"Acte Decision Has Obtained Permanent Legal Force (AMKHT) set on April 17, 2023, signaling that the decision is valid and cannot be contested," said Tunggul.

Based on this decision, Tunggul ensured that the Indonesian Navy would stick to it and could not accept Satria again as a member of the TNI.

To note, a video circulated by Satria Arta Kumbara who wanted to return to being an Indonesian citizen. In the viral video, he admitted that he did not know that his act of signing a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense resulted in his citizenship status being revoked.

In the video, he also asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs Sugiono, Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka and President Prabowo Subianto to welcome him back as an Indonesian citizen.