Civil Coalition Pushes for Formation of Independent Investigation Team into Acid Attack
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform has urged the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) and the Indonesian Government to form an independent fact-finding team to investigate the acid attack on human rights defender and Deputy Coordinator of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), Andrie Yunus.
“Komnas HAM must immediately conduct an investigation and examination to assess the possibility of serious human rights violations,” as quoted from the official statement received by Kompas.com on Wednesday (18/3/2026).
An independent investigation by Komnas HAM is needed because this sulphuric acid pouring incident is suspected to have been carried out in a structured and systematic manner.
Komnas HAM must immediately conduct an investigation and examination to assess the possibility of serious human rights violations.
The coalition believes that the findings of law enforcement agencies such as the National Police (Polri) and the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) need to be re-examined by Komnas HAM.
The coalition also urges that the facts presented by the police and TNI be re-verified for accuracy through an independent institution, in this case Komnas HAM.
“For that purpose, we urge the President to form a joint fact-finding team,” the coalition continued.
On 15 March 2025, Andrie, along with several other activists, had disrupted a closed meeting discussing the revision of the TNI Law.
At that time, the TNI Bill was still being deliberated by Commission III of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) and discussed in a closed meeting outside the Parliament Building, specifically at the Fairmont Hotel, Jakarta.
“Not to mention the alleged involvement of institutions of the perpetrators, who are suspected to be involved in a series of violent incidents, especially in the tragedy of the unrest at the end of August 2025,” the coalition continued.
This is to ensure accountability and responsibility from the perpetrators for their actions.
In addition, the Civil Coalition also urges that the investigation of the case not stop at the field perpetrators, but uncover the intellectual actors behind this violent incident.