Civil Coalition Demands Police Investigation Into Acid Attack on KontraS Activist

A coalition of civil society organisations has strongly condemned and demanded a thorough investigation into the acid attack against Andrie Yunus, Deputy Coordinator of KontraS (Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence).

KontraS Coordinator Dimas Bagus Arya described the terrorist act experienced by Andrie as a sign of the deteriorating democratic climate in Indonesia. He also highlighted ongoing terror and intimidation that KontraS has endured over 28 years.

“I want to convey that this situation is no longer an alarm—we are all gathered here not to say we are at a democratic alarm, but this is a chasm of democracy, this is the nadir of democracy,” he said during a press conference on Friday, 13 March.

“I just want to say one thing. KontraS has consistently experienced numerous acts of terror that must be investigated, and the perpetrators must be identified,” he added.

He called on law enforcement authorities to take the investigation seriously. Dimas stated that such terrorist acts would never stop KontraS’s work, which has been built over 28 years.

“We demand accountability from law enforcement; we demand seriousness from the state regarding human rights protection. We also ask that the current regime, which has already established the Ministry of Human Rights, stand together with human rights defenders,” he said.

Meanwhile, Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia Usman Hamid urged that the investigation into Andrie’s case be conducted carefully.

“We are here to strongly condemn the acid attack against Andrie Yunus. This is not the first time Andrie Yunus has experienced such an attack,” he said.

In recent times, Usman noted that Andrie has frequently encountered issues related to military matters. However, he emphasised that this does not necessarily mean the perpetrators are from the military.

“So we must conduct a serious investigation, and typically terror emerges during political elite conflicts. This is what we must examine in connection with the attack on Andrie Yunus,” he said.

Lastly, Chairman of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute Foundation (YLBHI) Muhammad Isnur described Andrie as a courageous figure.

Isnur stated that he has already communicated with police following the acid attack. He therefore urged the police to identify both the perpetrators and those behind the assault.

“Since last night, we have been in contact with police who have already gathered everything. There should be no obstacles to identifying the perpetrators and who is behind them. The question is whether they have the courage to reveal who is behind it,” he said.

“We urge the National Police Chief and Regional Police Chiefs to use all your detective capabilities to uncover this and prove that the police exist. Show that your detectives have the ability,” he added.

The incident occurred when Andrie Yunus, Deputy Coordinator of KontraS, was attacked with acid in central Jakarta on Thursday, 12 March evening.

KontraS Coordinator Dimas Bagus Arya stated that the incident occurred after Andrie Yunus had attended a podcast event titled “Remilitarisation and Judicial Review in Indonesia” at the office of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute Foundation (YLBHI), around 23:00 WIB.

“He suffered an acid attack by an unknown assailant that resulted in serious injuries across his body, particularly on both hands, face, chest, and eyes,” he said in a written statement on Friday, 13 March.

Dimas said that as a result of the incident, Andrie was immediately taken to hospital for medical treatment. He noted that medical examination revealed that Andrie suffered burns covering 24 per cent of his body.

According to the timeline, Dimas said the incident began when Andrie was riding his motorcycle on Jalan Salemba I-Talang in central Jakarta.

Two male perpetrators approached from the opposite direction on Jalan Talang (Talang Bridge) riding a two-wheeled vehicle, allegedly a Honda Beat automatic motorcycle from 2016 to 2021.

“The perpetrators were two men who carried out the operation using one motorcycle, with one acting as the driver and the other as a passenger,” he said.

The first suspect was wearing a white and blue combination t-shirt, dark trousers allegedly jeans, and a black helmet.

The second perpetrator, the passenger, was wearing a face covering or black buff-style mask that covered half his face, a dark blue t-shirt, and blue trousers rolled up short, allegedly made of denim.

“One of the perpetrators then sprayed acid towards the victim, hitting parts of the victim’s body. Due to the attack, the victim immediately screamed in pain and dropped his motorcycle,” he explained.