Human Rights Minister Urges Police to Thoroughly Investigate Acid Attack on Kontras Activist

JAKARTA — Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai has urged the police to thoroughly investigate the perpetrators of an acid attack against Andrie Yunus, Deputy Coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras).

Pigai strongly condemned the act of violence against the Kontras activist. “I once again call upon the police to conduct a thorough investigation so that the victim’s family can experience a sense of justice, understanding that the law exists for this nation and state,” Pigai stated at the Presidential Complex in Jakarta on Friday, 13 March 2026.

The Minister emphasised that acts of thuggery in Indonesia must not be tolerated. If there are differences of opinion, Pigai said, they must be resolved peacefully. Indonesia, as a democracy, cannot allow violence to occur against anyone, including activists and members of civil society.

“This nation is strong because of civil society communities. They serve as checks and balances against all aspects of national life and governance,” he said.

Pigai stressed that the government is deeply concerned about the incident. The Human Rights Ministry will provide support and monitoring to the victim, and Pigai plans to visit the injured activist. “We will certainly implement support and monitoring,” he stated.

According to earlier reports, Andrie Yunus was attacked by an unknown individual who threw acid on him. Dimas Bagus Arya, Coordinator of the Kontras Executive Board, said the attack resulted in serious burns across Yunus’s body.