JAKARTA, RAKYAT NEWS – Amnesty International Indonesia has called for urgent reforms to Indonesia’s military justice system following today’s conviction of three Navy personnel for the fatal shooting of a car rental businessman in Tangerang.

The case has reignited debate about military impunity and whether civilian crimes should be tried in military courts.

The Jakarta Military Court sentenced two Navy officers to life imprisonment and dismissed a third member to four years in prison for their roles in the January 2 incident at a Tangerang toll road rest stop. The shooting, which left one dead and another injured, involved the use of state-issued firearms.

Deputy Director Wirya Adiwena of Amnesty International Indonesia stated the verdict reveals a troubling pattern of military personnel involved in civilian crimes. “When state-issued weapons are used in killings, these aren’t ordinary crimes but extrajudicial executions by state agents,” Adiwena emphasized.

Amnesty’s data shows four of nine documented extrajudicial killings by security forces since January involved military personnel. These numbers don’t include numerous unresolved cases in Papua, where such killings reportedly occur with near-total impunity.

The human rights organization argues the case underscores the need to revise Indonesia’s 1997 Military Tribunal Law. Currently, military courts can try service members for civilian crimes, a system Amnesty says undermines justice. “Military tribunals should handle service-related offenses only,” Adiwena said. “Civilian crimes belong in civilian courts to ensure equality before the law.”

Amnesty also criticized the court’s decision to deny restitution to victims’ families, despite the involvement of state weapons. The organization noted this contradicts Indonesia’s Supreme Court regulations mandating compensation for both material and psychological damages.

In today’s verdict, Navy officers Klk Bah Bambang Apri Atmojo and Sertu Bah Akbar Adli received life sentences and military dismissal for premeditated murder and evidence tampering. Sertu Kom Rafsin Hermawan got four years for assisting in evidence concealment, with all three stripped of their ranks.

The case fits a disturbing trend of military-related violence in early 2025. Just weeks after the Tangerang shooting, an Army soldier allegedly murdered his girlfriend in South Tangerang. In March, a Navy member fatally shot a car salesman in Aceh, while two military personnel were detained after three police officers died during a Lampung raid.

Amnesty’s 2024 records show 55 extrajudicial killings, mostly by security forces. The organization warns that without reform, Indonesia risks normalizing a justice system that favors military personnel over civilians.

“Today’s verdict should be a turning point,” Adiwena stated. “We urge the government and House of Representatives to prioritize amending the Military Tribunal Law before more lives are lost to this flawed system.”

The proposed reforms would align Indonesia’s military justice with international standards while ensuring all citizens face equal justice, regardless of their status or affiliation. Amnesty International continues to monitor military accountability issues across the archipelago nation. (Uki Ruknuddin)

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