Komnas HAM: Acid Attack on Andrie Yunus Violates Freedom of Expression

Jakarta — The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has identified multiple human rights violations in the case of the acid attack on Andrie Yunus, an activist with Kontras.

“From my perspective, this constitutes a violation of freedom of expression, speech, association and so forth,” said Prabianto Mukti Wibowo, member of Komnas HAM, during a press conference at the Komnas HAM office in Jakarta on Tuesday, 17 March 2026.

According to him, if such cases are left unaddressed, they threaten democracy in Indonesia. “The danger here is that without proper handling, our democracy is at risk. This is what we view as the most fundamental right at stake in this incident,” he said.

Beyond violations of freedom of expression, the commission also noted violations of the right to safety and protection from violence, as well as breaches of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, which relates to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

“Thus, multiple layers of violations could be applied to the suspects if they are found,” he added.

The attack on Andrie Yunus occurred on the evening of Thursday, 12 March 2026, shortly after he completed filming related to remilitarisation. The acid attack caused 24 per cent burns and vision impairment in his right eye. Currently, Andrie is suffering from chemical trauma to his right eye with severe acute phase injury classified at level three.