Anies Visits Human Rights Activist Andrie Yunus at RSCM Hospital Following Acid Attack
Former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan visited Andrie Yunus, an activist with the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (Kontras), at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital in Jakarta. Yunus is currently undergoing treatment following an acid attack by unknown assailants.
Anies visited Andrie on Saturday, 14 March 2026. The former presidential candidate arrived accompanied by former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan, who was also a previous victim of an acid attack.
At RSCM, Anies and Novel met with Andrie’s family. Anies spoke with the parents and siblings of Kontras’s Deputy External Coordinator. Andrie could not be visited directly in his ward.
Anies wrote a message on paper for Andrie, which he hoped would be read to him by his parents since he could not meet directly. A colleague of Anies sent a photograph of the letter to journalists.
In the letter, Anies encouraged Andrie, whom he referred to as a freedom fighter. “Brother Andrie, you are currently lying in the HCU ward, but your fighting spirit can reach every corner of this nation,” Anies wrote.
“As long as the Republic has fighters like Andrie Yunus, individuals who love this nation more than their own safety, then we can be optimistic that our democracy will continue to stand tall! Get well soon and return to the struggle!” concluded Anies’s message to Yunus.
Andrie Yunus was previously reported to be a victim of an acid attack by unknown assailants. He was attacked on Talang Street, Central Jakarta, on the evening of Thursday, 12 March 2026 at approximately 23:37 Western Indonesian Time.
According to Kontras’s account, Andrie was riding his motorcycle on Salemba I-Talang Street, Central Jakarta. Two perpetrators then approached him riding a motorcycle in the opposite direction on Talang Street, specifically at Talang Bridge. The motorcycle is suspected to be a Honda Beat automatic model from 2016-2021.
The perpetrators were two men, one acting as the driver and one as the passenger. “They had the following characteristics: The first perpetrator was the rider wearing a combination white-blue t-shirt, jeans-like trousers, and a black helmet,” according to Kontras’s account released on Friday, 13 March 2026.
The second perpetrator, the rear passenger, wore a black ‘buff’-like facial covering that concealed half his face. The second perpetrator wore a dark blue t-shirt and blue trousers folded short, appearing to be made of denim.
One of the perpetrators then sprayed caustic acid towards Andrie, hitting parts of his body. Andrie immediately cried out in pain and dropped his motorcycle.
As a result of the incident, Andrie sustained serious injuries across his body, particularly on his right and left hands, face, chest, and around his eyes. Based on examination, Kontras found no stolen or seized belongings either during or after the incident.
Andrie was immediately taken to the nearest hospital in Jakarta and received emergency medical treatment, particularly on the eye area affected by the liquid. Examination revealed that Andrie sustained burns covering 24 per cent of his body.
The incident occurred shortly after Andrie had finished recording a podcast at the office of the Legal Aid Institute Foundation (YLBHI) in Menteng, Central Jakarta. The podcast episode, titled “Remilitarisation and Judicial Review in Indonesia,” concluded at approximately 23:00 Western Indonesian Time.
Dimas Bagus Arya, Kontras Coordinator, stated that this action constitutes an attempt to silence critical voices in society, particularly human rights defenders. Dimas said the incident must receive prompt attention from various quarters, including law enforcement agencies and civil society.
He also called on police to investigate the incident. “Police apparatus must immediately investigate to reveal the perpetrators and motives behind the attack,” he stated in a written statement.
In addition, he also called for the perpetrators to be sentenced to the fullest extent under the attempted murder provision, referencing Article 459 of the Criminal Code (KUHP). “Considering that spraying caustic acid on a victim can result in serious fatal injuries or death,” he said.