Minister of Human Rights Honors the Verdict of the Court of the Defendant for Water Sprinkling Andrie Yunus

JAKARTA - Human Rights Minister (HAM) Natalius Pigai respects the verdict handed down by the panel of judges of the Jakarta Military Court II-08 against the water cannon of KontraS Deputy Coordinator Andrie Yunus.

"As good citizens, it is a court decision and the law regulates that everyone must obey the law," said Pigai as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, June 17.

According to him, the court's decision should not be fought. "It has been sentenced, right? If it has been sentenced, we should not fight the court's decision as citizens, dong," he said.

The Jakarta Military Court II-08 sentenced four TNI soldiers to 1 year and 6 months to 3 years in prison for being proven to have abused Andrie Yunus.

In detail, Sergeant Two (Serda) Edi Sudarko was sentenced to 3 years in prison, Lieutenant One (Lettu) Budhi Hariyanto Widhi was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison, Captain Nandala Dwi Prasetya was sentenced to 2 years in prison, and Lettu Sami Lakka was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison.

"The defendants were proven to be legally and convincingly guilty of committing the crime as charged, in addition to participating in the persecution which resulted in serious injuries with a prior plan," said the presiding judge, Colonel of the Law Corps Fredy Ferdian Isnartanto when reading the verdict at the Military Court II-08 Jakarta, Wednesday (10/6).

In addition to imprisonment, the panel of judges also imposed additional penalties in the form of dismissal from military service to Serda Edi and Lettu Budhi for being the "brains" of the water spraying.

The four TNI personnel were found to have poured hard water on activist Andrie Yunus with the aim of giving a "lesson" and "deterrent effect" so as not to slander the TNI institution.