Human Rights Minister Pigai Demands Thorough Investigation into Acid Attack on Kontras Activist

Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai has strongly condemned the acid attack that befell Andrie Yunus, Deputy Coordinator of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (Kontras).

Pigai stated that violence in any form cannot be justified and must be addressed firmly through an objective legal process.

“As Human Rights Minister, I strongly condemn the acid attack,” Pigai said in a written statement on 13 March.

He called upon police to immediately apprehend the perpetrators and conduct a thorough investigation into the motives behind the incident, whilst ensuring that the perpetrators are prosecuted objectively so that justice can be served to the victim.

Pigai also stated that the state has a duty to protect every citizen from all forms of violence and acts that threaten the safety and dignity of individuals.

“The state prohibits all forms of violence or unlawful acts that harm individuals or the honour of citizens,” he said.

In his view, a swift response from law enforcement is essential to uncover the perpetrators and ensure that the legal process proceeds transparently and accountably.

“A rapid response from law enforcement is urgently needed at this time,” he said.

Previously, Andrie Yunus became a victim of an acid attack in the Central Jakarta area on the evening of 12 March.

Kontras Coordinator Dimas Bagus Arya stated that the incident occurred after Andrie Yunus attended a podcast event titled “Remilitarisation and Judicial Review in Indonesia” at the office of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), around 23:00 Western Indonesian Time.

“He suffered an attack from an acid splash by unknown persons that resulted in serious injuries across his entire body, particularly on the right and left hands, face, chest, and eye area,” he said in a written statement on 13 March.

Dimas stated that as a result of the incident, Andrie was immediately taken to hospital for medical treatment. He noted that from medical examination, Andrie sustained burns covering 24 per cent of his body.

“From the medical examination, Andrie suffered burns covering 24 per cent,” he said.

Based on the chronology, Dimas stated that the incident began when Andrie was riding his motorcycle on Jalan Salemba I - Talang, Central Jakarta.

At that time, two perpetrators approached him from the opposite direction on Jalan Talang (Jembatan Talang) whilst riding a motorcycle, reportedly a Honda Beat automatic motorcycle from 2016 to 2021.

“The perpetrators were two men who carried out their operation using a single motorcycle, with each playing the role of driver and passenger,” he said.

He described the first suspected perpetrator as wearing a white-blue combination t-shirt, dark trousers believed to be jeans, and a black helmet.

The second perpetrator, the passenger, wore a face covering or mask resembling a black ‘buff’ that covered half the face, a dark blue t-shirt, and blue long trousers folded short and believed to be made of denim.

“One of the perpetrators then splashed acid towards the victim, hitting parts of the victim’s body. As a result of the attack, the victim immediately screamed in pain and fell from his motorcycle,” he explained.