Deputy Chair of Indonesian Ulema Council Calls for Attackers of Human Rights Activist Andrie Yunus to Face Court

Deputy Chair of the Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) Anwar Abbas expressed concern over a caustic liquid attack against human rights activist Andrie Yunus, stating that the perpetrators must be brought to justice and held accountable for their actions.

Anwar called on the police to swiftly apprehend the attackers and for the prosecution to bring the case to court for trial and sentencing in accordance with applicable laws. “The perpetrators should be arrested and the case referred to prosecutors to be brought to court for trial and sentencing according to applicable laws and regulations,” Anwar stated in a written statement on Sunday, 15 March 2026.

Anwar urged society to condemn the attack on Yunus. “We must strongly condemn the attack carried out by certain parties against Andrie Yunus, an activist from KontraS,” he said, noting that caustic liquid exposure to the eyes and skin poses serious risks including permanent damage, severe irritation, and respiratory problems.

The attack occurred on Thursday evening, 12 March 2026, when Yunus was sprayed with caustic liquid by two unknown assailants on motorcycles whilst on Jalan Salemba I-Talang in Central Jakarta. The chemical was sprayed across his body, affecting his right side including his eyes, face, chest, and hands. Part of his clothing was also melted by the caustic substance.

According to medical records, Yunus sustained burns covering 24 percent of his body and underwent eye surgery due to exposure to the corrosive liquid. KontraS coordinator Dimas Bagus Arya confirmed that the attackers sprayed the caustic liquid at the front of Yunus’s body.

President Prabowo Subianto has instructed the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the attack. National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo stated that he received direct orders from the President to carry out a complete, professional, and transparent investigation. “I have received direct instructions from the President to conduct a thorough investigation in a professional and transparent manner,” Sigit said in Surabaya, East Java on Sunday, 15 March 2026.

The police will pursue the case using scientific investigative approaches, with Sigit pledging that every stage of case handling will be conducted objectively and based on evidence.