Acid Attack on Human Rights Activist Andrie Yunus Condemned as Attack on Democracy
Teguh Santosa, Chairman of the Indonesian Cyber Media Network (JMSI), has strongly denounced the acid attack against Andrie Yunus, Deputy Coordinator of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS). Santosa characterised the incident not as an ordinary act of violence, but as a serious assault on democratic values and human rights enforcement in Indonesia.
Santosa emphasised that human rights activists work in the public interest and for the nation’s benefit. Therefore, acts of terror against them constitute a threat to the principles of democracy guaranteed by the constitution. “The acid attack on Andrie Yunus from KontraS is an attack on democracy itself. Human rights activists work for the interests of the people and the nation, as human rights protection and democracy are constitutional mandates,” Santosa stated on Saturday, 14 March.
According to Santosa, democracy requires all parties to uphold mutual respect, including when disagreements arise. Violence against democracy and human rights activists cannot be justified under any circumstances. “Attacking democracy and human rights activists, even when disagreeing with them, remains unjustifiable. In a democracy, everyone should adhere to the principle of respecting differences and diversity, as all act for the common good, not personal interests,” he said.
Santosa also stressed that democracy can only function healthily when civil freedoms, including the freedom to voice criticism, are protected by the state. He called on law enforcement authorities, particularly the Indonesian National Police (Polri), to investigate the case thoroughly to identify the perpetrators, motives, and parties behind the incident. “I request law enforcement, especially Polri, to ensure a complete investigation extending to intellectual actors, not just field operatives,” he asserted.
Santosa noted that the pattern of the attack suggests organised planning, meaning the legal investigation cannot stop at the field executor level but must also uncover the intellectual masterminds. He added that he had coordinated with police regarding case handling and hopes the investigation will proceed swiftly and transparently so the public receives legal certainty.
According to a chronology compiled by KontraS, in the days before the attack, Yunus received several calls from unknown numbers between 9 and 12 March 2026. Some numbers were suspected to be related to fraud spam, online loans, and mobile banking schemes.
On the day of the incident, Yunus conducted routine activities and left the KontraS office around 15:30 to head to the Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS) office in the Menteng area for a meeting. Following that engagement, around 19:45, he went to the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) office on Diponegoro Street, Menteng, to record a podcast with YLBHI staff member Zainal Arifin. The discussion covered the topic of “Remilitarisation and Judicial Review of the TNI Law”.
The podcast recording ended around 20:00, but Yunus remained at the YLBHI office until approximately 23:00 before heading home on a motorbike after refuelling at a Cikini petrol station.
Around 23:37, whilst passing through Salemba I Street on a yellow Yamaha Aerox motorcycle, Yunus noticed a motorcycle carrying two people heading in the opposite direction in the Talang area. The motorcycle was suspected to be an old model Honda Beat or Honda Vario, black with a white panel at the rear.
When the two vehicles passed, one assailant immediately sprayed a substance suspected to be caustic soda towards the victim. The liquid struck the right side of Yunus’s body, particularly his eyes, face, chest, and hands. The victim immediately cried out in pain, stopping his motorcycle and falling over.
According to KontraS’s account, Yunus screamed for help, shouting “AAAH, AAHH, AAHH, HOT… HOT!” then shouting “CAUSTIC SODA, CAUSTIC SODA,” until nearby residents arrived.
The chemical caused the victim’s clothing to melt. In severe pain, Yunus managed to retrieve his motorcycle and bag before abandoning his damaged shirt at the location. Meanwhile, the perpetrators fled towards Salemba Raya Street. During their escape, the assailants allegedly dropped a stainless steel glass that had contained the chemical.
Shortly after the attack, around 23:38, Yunus rode his motorcycle towards his rented accommodation in the Menteng area via back roads.
Two of his friends, Rizky and Hardingga, subsequently transported the victim to Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) on a motorcycle. Yunus arrived at the hospital around 23:48 and received immediate medical treatment.
Based on the initial diagnosis by the medical team, Yunus sustained chemical burns covering approximately 24 per cent of his body. He is currently being treated by six specialist doctors, including eye specialists, ENT specialists, neurologists, orthopaedic surgeons, thoracic specialists, internists, and dermatologists.
The victim is also scheduled to undergo eye surgery involving amniotic membrane transplantation to repair damaged eye tissue.
A KontraS representative, Dimas, confirmed that none of the victim’s belongings were lost in the incident. He urged police to immediately investigate the perpetrators and reveal the motive behind the attack on the human rights activist. “This attack has the potential to become a serious threat to the safety of human rights defenders in Indonesia,” he concluded.