Indonesia - March 2026

The Central Jakarta District Court acquitted Delpedro Marhaen, Muzaffar Salim, Syahdan Husein, and Khariq Anhar on 6 March of charges of inciting unrest via social media in connection with the August 2025 demonstrations. The acquitted had made social media posts encouraging people to join the protests. Prosecutors had sought two-year prison terms, and the four were held in pre-trial detention for six months. The four were among the highest profile detainees among thousands arrested in the wake of the August 2025 demonstrations, most of whom have been released without convictions. Rights activists hailed the decision as precedent-setting for freedom of political speech. Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra also praised the court’s decision and said it showed the government had kept its promise to not interfere with judicial processes connected to the August 2025 demonstrations.

Sources: Tempo, Malay Mail, Kompas, CNN Indonesia, Tempo, International IDEA

Human rights activist Andrie Yunus was the victim of an acid attack in central Jakarta on 12 March. When driving his motorcycle, two assailants threw acid on Yunus, causing burns over 20 per cent of his body. On 19 March, four soldiers who allegedly participated in the attack were arrested by military police. Yunus is a well-known activist investigating the military’s history of forced disappearances and a prominent critic of the Military Law passed in March 2025, which allows active-duty military officers to simultaneously hold civilian government posts in 14 institutions. The assailants are to be tried in a military court, which are subject to fewer procedural protections and a less transparency than civilian courts, which activists argue could lead to the attackers escaping justice.

Sources: Civicus Monitor, Tempo, British Broadcasting Corporation