Military Court Fires 2 TNI Personnel Accused of Spraying Andrie Yunus

JAKARTA - A Military Court judge dismissed two personnel of the Indonesian National Army (TNI) from military service for being proven to have planned to spray hard water on KontraS Deputy Coordinator Andrie Yunus.

"Accused 1 and accused 2 must be separated from the environment of the Navy TNI by being dismissed with dishonor or dismissed from military service," said Chief Judge Colonel of Law (Chk) Fredy Ferdian Isnartanto when reading the verdict in a trial at the Military Court II-08 Jakarta, Wednesday, June 10.

The two TNI were Sergeant Two (Serda) Edi Sudarko and Lieutenant One (Lettu) Budhi Hariyanto Widhi.

The Chief Judge explained that in his request, the military prosecutor did not propose an additional criminal sentence to the two defendants in the form of dismissal from military service.

However, the panel of judges differed from the opinion that the two defendants were not worthy of being retained in the military service in the TNI's big house, considering the degree of error and the quality of the deeds from the perspective of each defendant.

The presiding judge revealed the consideration in question, namely the actions taken by four TNI personnel were the result of indirect provocation from Serda Edhi and the idea of Lettu Budhi, who suggested using hard water so that it was quick and practical rather than beating which could result in Andrie's suffering being heavier and fatal.

Then, the status of the two defendants, who are soldiers serving in a marine unit that has been trained to face the enemy, but both betrayed the country by torturing by pouring Andrie Yunus with hard water, was also considered as eligibility for dismissal from military service.

The Chief Justice emphasized that Andrie was an ordinary citizen, where the relationship between the TNI and the people should not be separated.

"Although the TNI must have a sense of patriotism, without having the characteristics of the people, then he is not an ideal soldier," said the Chief Justice.

In addition, another consideration, namely Edi's actions, who from the beginning had tried to indirectly provoke Budhi so that Budhi finally gave the idea and idea of watering with hard water to Andrie, was an act far from the values of keprajuritan.

The action, continued the Chief Justice, was also far from the nature of a soldier who holds the Sapta Marga, the Soldier's Oath, and the 8 TNI Obligations.

Therefore, the panel of judges considered that the actions of the two defendants were contrary to the interests of the military, which always maintained solidarity with the people.

In order to support the main duties of the TNI, the attitudes and traits inherent in the two defendants, based on their actions, are linked to the values that apply in the life of soldiers, have also shown that both of them no longer have the attitudes and traits that should be possessed by TNI soldiers.

In addition, the Chief Judge said that if they were retained in the military service, it was feared that the two defendants, in their status as TNI soldiers, would tarnish the good name and disrupt and shake the joints of the training, discipline, and discipline of the TNI soldier's life.

"Thus, the panel of judges considers that defendant 1 and defendant 2 are no longer worthy of being maintained as TNI soldiers," said the Chief Justice.

In addition to being dismissed from the military service, Edi and Budhi were each sentenced to 3 years and 2 years and 6 months in prison. Meanwhile, the other defendants, namely Captain Nandala Dwi Prasetya and Lettu Sami Lakka, were only sentenced to 2 years and 1 year and 6 months in prison.

The four TNI personnel were proven to have poured hard water on Andrie with the aim of giving lessons and "deterrent effect" so as not to slander the TNI institution.

The attitude of Andrie, which the defendants considered to have harassed the TNI institution, occurred on March 16, 2025 when the activist of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) forced to enter and interrupt the meeting to revise the TNI Law in Jakarta.

Another attitude that made the defendants angry was when Andrie sued the TNI Law to the Constitutional Court (MK), accusing the TNI of intimidating or committing terror at the KontraS office, and being the mastermind or actor of the riots in late August 2025 and actively launching anti-militarism narratives.

Thus, the actions of the TNI personnel, who had planned to spray Andrie with hard water, where it was known that the chemical liquid could cause severe burns, were actions that TNI members were not fit to do.

For their actions, the four defendants were found guilty of violating Article 467 paragraph (1) jo. Article 20 letter C of the National Criminal Code (KUHP).