Photograph of Alleged Perpetrator in Acid Attack on KontraS Activist Goes Viral; Police Say It Is AI Fabrication
Jakarta – The Metro Jaya Police have confirmed that the facial photograph circulating on social media purporting to show the alleged perpetrator of the acid attack against Andrie Yunus, Vice-Coordinator of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), is false information.
Police have stressed that the image is not the actual face of the perpetrator, but rather fabricated content created using artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
Brigadier General Iman Imanuddin, Director of General Criminal Investigation at the Metro Jaya Police, stated that authorities have examined the photograph circulating online.
“We can confirm that the photograph is a hoax, as it is an AI fabrication,” he said on Monday, 16 March 2026.
According to him, the emergence of photographs and videos related to the case circulating online actually indicates panic from the perpetrators. Police suspect that the dissemination of AI-generated images is an attempt to disrupt the ongoing investigation process.
“With the circulation of this crime scene video, the perpetrators and their network appear to be panicking and are attempting to obscure the investigation process by spreading fabricated images or AI creations,” he said.
Iman added that the dissemination of the false photograph is believed to have been deliberately carried out by the perpetrator’s network to distort information and mislead the public.
“We believe this is an attempt by the network and the perpetrators themselves to obscure information and obscure the direction of the legal facts being obtained,” he said.
Previously reported, Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo stated that President Prabowo Subianto has ordered a thorough investigation into the alleged acid attack case against KontraS activist Andrie Yunus to be conducted professionally, transparently and employing scientific investigation methods.
“Regarding developments in the activist attack case, I have received direct orders from the President to conduct a thorough investigation that is professional and transparent,” said Sigit whilst inspecting Gubeng Station in Surabaya on Sunday.
He explained that the investigation process is being conducted using a scientific crime investigation approach to ensure that each stage of case handling is carried out objectively and based on evidence.
Additionally, he said, the police are currently gathering various information relating to the incident for further in-depth analysis on a phased basis.