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• 5 min read • Indonesia

KontraS Activist Andrie Yunus Attacked with Acid in Jakarta, Suffers 24% Burns

Andrie Yunus, deputy coordinator of Indonesia's leading human rights group KontraS, was attacked with acid in Central Jakarta after recording a podcast. The assault has drawn condemnation from the Human Rights Minister and Police Chief.

Introduction

Andrie Yunus, the deputy coordinator of KontraS (Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence), was attacked with acid on Thursday night, March 12, 2026, while riding through the Salemba area of Central Jakarta. The prominent human rights defender suffered 24 percent burns across his body and is currently receiving medical treatment. The attack, captured on CCTV and widely shared on social media, has sparked national outrage and drawn condemnation from senior government officials.

The Attack

The assault occurred at approximately 11:00 PM WIB on Thursday, shortly after Andrie Yunus had finished recording a podcast at the offices of YLBHI (Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation). The podcast was titled “Remilitarisme dan Judicial Review di Indonesia” (Remilitarism and Judicial Review in Indonesia).

According to KontraS coordinator Dimas Bagus Arya, two assailants on a motorcycle carried out the acid attack while Yunus was traveling through Salemba. CCTV footage circulating on social media shows the moment of the assault, with the two perpetrators riding pillion and deliberately targeting the victim.

Government Response

Human Rights Minister Condemns Attack

Indonesian Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai issued a strong condemnation of the attack, calling for a thorough investigation.

“I strongly condemn this acid attack as Minister of Human Rights. I demand that law enforcement immediately find the perpetrators, investigate the motive behind this incident, and ensure the perpetrators are processed through objective legal proceedings so that justice for the victim can be achieved,” Pigai said in a written statement on Friday, March 13.

Pigai emphasized that the state has an obligation to protect all citizens from violence and attacks on individual safety and dignity.

National Police Chief Gives Special Attention

National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo has given special attention to the case, according to National Police Public Relations Division Head Inspector General Johnny Eddizon Isir.

“The investigation at the Central Jakarta Police Criminal Investigation Unit is being backed up by the Jakarta Metro Police as well as the Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim),” Isir stated at National Police Headquarters in South Jakarta on Friday.

Investigation Progress

Police have begun analyzing CCTV footage from the area and have interviewed witnesses. The Central Jakarta Metro Police is leading the investigation with support from the Jakarta Metro Police and the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency.

According to KontraS coordinator Dimas Bagus Arya, the acid attack should be viewed in the context of attempts to silence critical voices, particularly human rights defenders. He referenced several laws protecting human rights defenders, including:

  • Law No. 39 of 1999 on Human Rights
  • Article 66 of Law No. 32 of 2009 on Environmental Protection
  • National Human Rights Commission Regulation No. 5 of 2015 on Protection Procedures for Human Rights Defenders

The Target: KontraS

KontraS (Komisi untuk Orang Hilang dan Korban Tindak Kekerasan) is one of Indonesia’s most prominent human rights organizations, known for investigating cases of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and state violence. The organization has been a vocal critic of military impunity and police brutality in Indonesia.

The attack on one of its senior leaders has raised concerns about the safety of human rights defenders in the country.

Sources