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View all search resultsMilitary Tribunal Law under fire, lenient TNI sentences
The coalition called for an immediate amendment to the Military Tribunal Law, arguing that all general criminal offenses involving members of the Indonesian military should be tried in civilian courts.
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Lt. Col. Arif Rachman (‘right'), the presiding judge in the trial against three Indonesian Navy officers in the case of murder of a car rental owner and car theft, questions a witness at the Jakarta Military Court in East Jakarta on Feb. 24, 2025. (Antara/Fakhri Hermansyah)
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ights groups have urged the government to revise the 1997 Military Tribunal Law following lenient sentences handed down to soldiers in a string of fatal incidents involving civilians, saying the rulings highlight persistent impunity within the Indonesian Military (TNI) justice system.
The Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform, which consists of 20 rights organizations, said the recent cases exemplify a long-standing pattern in which TNI personnel receive disproportionately light punishments for criminal offenses.
“These rulings show that impunity remains deeply entrenched in the military justice system and demonstrate the weak commitment to ensuring equal law enforcement for all,” said Muhamad Isnur, chairperson of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) and a member of the coalition, as quoted by Tempo.co on Tuesday.
The coalition also criticized the lack of transparency in military court proceedings, which they said undermines justice for civilian victims.
The coalition called for an immediate amendment to the Military Tribunal Law, arguing that all general criminal offenses involving members of the TNI should be tried in civilian courts.
“Without revising the Military Tribunal Law, impunity for crimes committed by military personnel will persist and continue to encourage soldiers to commit similar acts of violence,” Isnur said.
Article 65 of the 2004 Indonesian National Armed Forces Law stipulates that soldiers who commit general crimes should be tried in civilian courts, not military ones. However, this provision is often overlooked because it conflicts with the 1997 Military Tribunal Law, which grants the military its own judicial authority.
