Andrie Yunus Doused with Caustic Soda: SETARA Calls It Silencing

SETARA Institute has strongly condemned an attack involving caustic soda being poured on Andrie Yunus, Deputy Coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras). The institute characterises the attack as a form of serious violence that threatens civil liberties in Indonesia.

According to SETARA, the incident targeted not only an individual but also has the potential to intimidate human rights defenders who monitor the exercise of power and advocate for the protection of citizens’ constitutional rights.

SETARA’s human rights and security sector researcher, Ikhsan Yosarie, stated that the attack could create widespread fear in public spaces.

“This attack could generate extraordinary suppression of public criticism through widespread fear effects (chilling effect),” Ikhsan said in a written statement on Sunday, 15 March 2026.

Andrie was attacked with caustic soda by unknown perpetrators on Thursday evening, 12 March 2026. The attack occurred after Andrie had conducted a podcast broadcast at the office of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI). Andrie suffered second-degree burns covering 24 per cent of his body.

SETARA views the incident as a wake-up call for the state to strengthen protection mechanisms for human rights defenders in Indonesia. The institute emphasised that the advocacy work conducted by human rights defenders is an important part of efforts to uphold the principles of justice, democracy, and human rights.

“Protection of human rights defenders is an integral part of democracy protection itself,” Ikhsan said. “When fear limits public participation in public spaces, democracy loses one of its main foundations.”

The state’s inability to protect human rights defenders, according to Ikhsan, is not merely a matter of security or individual safety, but also represents tolerance of the destruction of democratic spaces that is currently occurring.

SETARA has urged the police to conduct investigation swiftly, independently, and transparently to reveal all perpetrators and intellectual authors behind the attack. The institute also requested that case handling procedures be disclosed openly to the public as a form of accountability.

Additionally, SETARA has called for solidarity from civil society, academics, and media to monitor law enforcement to ensure that the case does not result in impunity and to safeguard civil freedoms in Indonesia from practices of violence and intimidation.