PRIME NEWS POST

MEDAN — The Legal Aid Institute (LBH) Medan has officially filed complaints to the Judicial Commission of the Republic of Indonesia and the Supervisory Body of the Supreme Court against the panel of judges of Military Court I-02 Medan, alleging violations of judicial ethics and conduct in the case involving the death of MHS (15 years old), with Sergeant (Sertu) Riza Pahlivi as the defendant.

In its ruling under case No. 67-K/PM.I-02/AD/VI/2025, dated October 20, 2025, the panel chaired by Lt. Col. ZS with members Maj. IZ and Maj. HW, found Sertu Riza Pahlivi guilty of negligence resulting in the death of MHS. The court sentenced him to 10 months in prison and ordered restitution to the victim’s mother, Lenny Damanik.

However, the ruling has been widely criticized as a miscarriage of justice, deeply wounding the sense of fairness among the victim’s family and the public.
Upon hearing the verdict, Lenny Damanik broke down in tears, saying the sentence was “lighter than that for a chicken thief.”

“If such a light sentence is considered justice, then people will kill without fear,” one of the victim’s relatives said in anguish outside the courtroom.

Alleged Irregularities in the Court’s Consideration

LBH Medan found multiple irregularities in the court’s decision, including:

The judges claimed there were no injuries on the victim’s body, while the ruling itself stated the presence of bruises on the abdomen and wounds on the forehead from a fall off the rail bridge approximately two meters high.

The judges concluded that the defendant did not assault the victim, despite eyewitness Ismail Syahputra Tampubolon’s direct testimony that the victim was attacked and fell, corroborated by Naura Panjaitan, who also witnessed the assault before passing away prior to trial.

Furthermore, the defendant was never detained during the investigation or prosecution stages, even though his actions led to the death of a minor.

LBH Medan also criticized Military Prosecutor Lt. Col. M. Tecki Waskito, S.H., M.H. for seeking only a 1-year prison term, far below the 15-year maximum penalty stipulated in Article 76C jo. Article 80(3) of Law No. 35/2014 on Child Protection.

LBH Medan: Judges Violated Principles of Justice and Professional Conduct

As legal counsel for the victim’s family, LBH Medan believes the panel of judges breached the principles of fairness, wisdom, and professionalism as set forth in the Joint Decree of the Supreme Court and the Judicial Commission No. 04/KMA/SKB/IV/2009 and No. 02/SKB/P.KY/IV/2009 on the Code of Ethics and Judicial Conduct.

Based on these findings, on November 6, 2025, LBH Medan filed formal complaints to both the Judicial Commission and the Supervisory Body of the Supreme Court.

LBH Medan further urged the Supreme Court of Indonesia to remove the Chief Judge of Military Court I-02 Medan and called on the government to initiate reforms within the military justice system to ensure greater transparency and accountability.

“Justice for children must never be compromised by judicial negligence. This is not merely about a light sentenceit’s about a life lost and the erosion of public trust in the justice system,” said Irvan Saputra, S.H., M.H., representing LBH Medan.

LBH Medan asserts that the defendant’s actions violated Indonesia’s Child Protection Law, the Criminal Code, the 1945 Constitution, and international human rights instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), ICCPR, and CRC, which guarantee a child’s right to life and protection from violence.

Editor of Prime News Post /
Photo: Special / Sourced from various media