Habiburokhman Demands Police Swiftly Arrest Those Responsible for Acid Attack on KontraS Activist
The Chair of Commission III of the Indonesian Parliament, Habiburokhman, condemned the acid attack on KontraS activist Andrie Yunus and called for police to act swiftly to investigate the case and arrest those responsible.
“Commission III of the Indonesian Parliament strongly condemns the act of acid splashing against KontraS activist Andrie Yunus. We have already contacted the Metro Jaya Police Chief and requested that the police move quickly to investigate this case and arrest those responsible,” Habiburokhman told journalists on Saturday, 14 March 2026.
“Andrie Yunus must also be given maximum protection to ensure he is truly safe from further threats of violence,” he added.
Habiburokhman stressed that violence against citizens must not be tolerated and emphasised the importance of respecting differences of opinion.
“We cannot tolerate any form of violence against citizens. Regardless of differences of opinion, these should not be responded to with violence and thuggery. Article 28G of the 1945 Constitution clearly stipulates that every person has the right to personal security and is entitled to feel safe and protected from threats of fear to do or not to do something, which constitutes a human right,” he said.
Habiburokhman stated that Commission III will monitor the case closely and requested that the state cover Andrie’s medical treatment costs.
“We will ensure Commission III continues to oversee this case so that the investigation proceeds swiftly and professionally. We request that the state fully cover the cost of his best medical treatment so that he can recover quickly,” he clarified.
Previously, the Coordinator of KontraS Working Body, Dimas Bagus Arya, explained that the alleged acid attack on Andrie Yunus occurred at 23:00 on Thursday, 12 March. He stated that Andrie was originally conducting a podcast at the Law Assistance Foundation (YLBHI) office titled “Remilitarisation and Judicial Review in Indonesia”.
Andrie Yunus was taken to hospital for medical treatment. According to medical examination results, Andrie suffered burns covering 24 per cent of his body.
“Based on information we have gathered, we assess that this acid attack constitutes an attempt to silence critical voices in society, particularly human rights defenders, which, according to Law Number 39 of 1999 on Human Rights, Article 66 of Law Number 32 of 2009 on Environmental Protection and Management, and the Regulation of the Indonesian National Human Rights Commission Number 5 of 2015 on Procedures for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders,” Dimas explained.
The National Police Chief Gives Special Attention
National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo has given special attention to handling the case of the alleged acid attack on Andrie Yunus, with the police guaranteed to investigate the matter thoroughly.
“The National Police Chief, as the head of the police force, has given special attention to the handling and resolution of this case,” said Head of the Police Public Relations Division Inspector General Johnny Eddizon Isir at Police Headquarters in South Jakarta on Friday, 13 March.