Police Assert Viral Photo of Acid Attack on KontraS Activist is AI-Generated
Metro Jaya Police have asserted that the viral photograph which clearly depicts the alleged perpetrator of the acid attack on Andrie Yunus, Deputy Coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS), is an AI-generated fabrication or result of artificial intelligence editing.
The photograph was uploaded to the social media account @Robe1807 on X (formerly Twitter). In the post, the account also urged police to quickly apprehend the perpetrator who carried out the acid attack on the KontraS activist.
“We have also informed the public that there are developments in the field, including on social media, images that appear to be CCTV screenshots of two individuals. We are confident that these are results of AI manipulation. There may also be suspicions that this is intended to mislead the investigation process,” said Metro Jaya Police Public Relations Head Kombes Budi Hermanto to journalists on Sunday, 15 March.
Budi called upon the public to be prudent in sharing information related to the case, as he noted that false information could potentially disrupt the investigation.
“We hope the public will also be wise so that this investigation remains focused and is not disrupted or influenced by things deliberately created to mislead,” he said.
Budi stated that police continue to work to uncover the case.
“We also appeal to all members of the public to give investigators space and time so that this investigation can be handled comprehensively and we can pursue those responsible for carrying out the acid attack on the activist,” he added.
Andrie Yunus became a victim of an acid attack in the central Jakarta area on Thursday evening, 12 March.
KontraS Coordinator Dimas Bagus Arya said 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), at approximately 23:00 hours.
“He was attacked with acid by an Unknown Person (OTK) which resulted in serious injuries across his entire body, particularly on both hands, face, chest, and eyes,” he said in a written statement on Friday, 13 March.
Following the incident, Andrie was immediately taken to hospital for medical treatment. From the examination results, Andrie suffered burns covering 24 percent of his body.
Dimas also revealed characteristics of the alleged first perpetrator, who was reportedly wearing a white and blue combination shirt, dark-coloured trousers believed to be jeans, and a black helmet.
The second perpetrator, the motorcycle passenger, was wearing a black face covering or mask resembling a ‘buff’ that covered half the face, a dark blue shirt, and blue-coloured long trousers rolled up to be short, believed to be made of denim.
From CCTV recordings obtained, based on the timecode visible on the footage, the incident occurred at approximately 23:30 hours.
Initially, two men were seen riding together on a motorcycle, turning around and moving slowly. The man being carried—not wearing a helmet—allegedly sprayed acid in the direction of the victim who was passing on his motorcycle.
The victim immediately stopped and dropped his motorcycle, crying out in pain. Nearby residents approached to see what had happened to the victim.