Democracy Advocacy Team Suspects Civilian Involvement in Andrie Case
The Tim Advokasi untuk Demokrasi (TAUD) has presented its investigative findings regarding the attempted murder case against human rights activist Andrie Yunus. They suspect the involvement of civilians in the acid attack on the Deputy Coordinator of KontraS.
TAUD’s independent investigation was conducted by several non-governmental organisations, including the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), LBH Jakarta, YLBHI, Trend Asia, Amar Law Firms, LBH Pers, Imparsial, and Greenpeace Indonesia.
TAUD states that this suspicion is based on the sighting of a perpetrator near the office of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), where Andrie Yunus was conducting a podcast broadcast before the incident. According to TAUD, the suspected civilian perpetrator was also seen tailing Andrie Yunus at the scene of the crime while wearing online motorcycle taxi attire.
Furthermore, TAUD indicates that the number of perpetrators in the acid attack on Andrie Yunus exceeds four. The findings from this civil society group were obtained from surveillance camera footage installed at the YLBHI office.
“TAUD’s independent investigation also identified around a dozen individuals strongly suspected of coordinating with each other throughout the night of the incident,” TAUD stated in a press release sent by KontraS administrator Jane Rosalina to Tempo on Sunday, 22 March 2026.
The findings of civilian involvement and around a dozen other suspected perpetrators are seen to indicate that the attack on Andrie Yunus was structured and organised. TAUD suspects that this large-scale operation was driven by parties with authority. “TAUD continues to delve into the evidence to ensure the accountability of law enforcement apparatus,” it said.
TAUD urges that the investigation into the attack on the Deputy Coordinator of KontraS not only apprehend the field actors. The police are called upon to seek out the intellectual masterminds as well as the operational actors.
TAUD calls on President Prabowo Subianto to immediately form an independent Joint Fact-Finding Team (TGPF) through a presidential decree. This team must involve civil society elements.
Additionally, they demand that the prosecution of the suspected perpetrators, whether from the apparatus or civilians, not be conducted in military courts but in general courts. TAUD states that committing to the mechanism of general courts in prosecuting the acid attack case against Andrie Yunus could be an initial step for the state to break the chain of impunity. “If not (general courts), it means the state indeed wants to nurture impunity and protect the perpetrators and intellectual masterminds behind them,” TAUD said.
Andrie Yunus was doused with acid by unknown individuals in the Talang Street area, Salemba, Central Jakarta, on Thursday night, 12 March 2026. KontraS Coordinator Dimas Bagus Arya said Andrie suffered burns covering 24 percent of his body from the incident. Andrie was treated by six doctors with different specialisations: ophthalmology; ear, nose, and throat (ENT); neurology; orthopaedics; thoracic; internal organs; and dermatology.
The police released two suspected perpetrators of the acid attack based on their investigation. Based on the evidence collected by the police, the two suspects are initialled BHC and MAK.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) Headquarters announced four perpetrators who have been arrested by the defence agency in the attack case against Andrie Yunus. All four are said to be from the TNI Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS) with initials NDP, SL, BHW, and ES.
NDP holds the rank of captain, the highest in the first officer group. SL and BHW hold the rank of first lieutenant, one level below captain. Meanwhile, ES holds the rank of second sergeant, the lowest non-commissioned officer rank in the Indonesian military structure.