Human Rights Activist Andrie Yunus Attacked with Acid Following Remilitarisation Podcast

JAKARTA — Andrie Yunus, deputy coordinator of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), was attacked with corrosive acid by an unknown assailant after recording a podcast on military affairs at the offices of the Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) in Menteng, Central Jakarta.

The podcast, which Yunus had just finished recording, was titled “Remilitarisation and Judicial Review in Indonesia”. According to Dimas Bagus Arya, coordinator of KontraS’s Working Body Board, the recording session concluded around 23:00 Western Indonesian Time.

The acid attack caused severe injuries to Yunus’s right and left hands, face, chest, and eye areas. He was immediately taken to hospital for emergency medical treatment. Medical examination confirmed he suffered burns covering 24 percent of his body.

“Based on information we have gathered, we believe this acid attack is an attempt to silence critical voices in society, particularly human rights defenders,” Dimas stated firmly.

The head of the criminal investigation unit at Central Jakarta Police, AKBP Roby Heri Saputra, confirmed the incident had occurred but noted that no formal police report had yet been filed by the victim. Police have since inspected the scene of the attack.

The incident has drawn attention to the safety of human rights activists in Indonesia and the apparent attempts to intimidate those engaged in critical commentary on military and governance issues.