Indonesian soldiers accused of acid attack. What happened and why?

"The trial centers on an attack that took place on March 12 when Andrie Yunus, a 27-year-old activist, was riding a motorbike in Jakarta. Two men on another motorbike threw acid at him, leaving him blind in one eye and with burns on more than 20 percent of his face and body."

"Prosecutors have charged the four soldiers, all linked to the military's Strategic Intelligence Agency, with premeditated assault, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison. The agency's chief has since stepped down, but no reason has been publicly given for the resignation."

"The United Nations has condemned the attack, with High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk calling it a cowardly act of violence and Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor describing it as horrific."

"Yunus has been a vocal critic of recent efforts to expand the military's role in civilian governance in Indonesia, protesting against an amendment that allows active-duty military personnel to hold a wider range of government positions."

The trial of four Indonesian soldiers accused of an acid attack on activist Andrie Yunus has begun in Jakarta. Yunus, who campaigned against military influence in government, was attacked on March 12, resulting in severe injuries. Prosecutors charged the soldiers with premeditated assault, alleging their actions stemmed from anger over Yunus's activism. The United Nations condemned the attack, emphasizing the broader implications of military repression and democratic backsliding in Indonesia, particularly following recent amendments allowing military personnel to hold government positions.

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