Profile of Andrie Yunus, Human Rights Activist Attacked with Caustic Liquid
Andrie Yunus, one of the most vocal young figures at the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), was attacked with caustic liquid in March 2026. The caustic liquid attack not only caused physical harm to the human rights defender but is also regarded as a direct assault on democracy and freedom of expression in the country.
Andrie Yunus serves as Deputy Coordinator for External Affairs at KontraS. He is a graduate of the Indonesian School of Law (STHI) Jentera, an institution known for producing progressive legal thinkers. Before dedicating himself to KontraS, Andrie honed his litigation and public advocacy skills at the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta).
At KontraS, Andrie is recognised for his sharp analysis of sensitive issues, including opposition to remilitarisation through revisions to the Military Law and investigations into police violence during the August 2025 protests.
The attack occurred on Thursday evening, 12 March 2026, at approximately 23:37 Western Indonesian Time, in the Salemba I Road area near Talang Bridge in Central Jakarta.
The case of Andrie Yunus adds to the long list of violence against human rights defenders in Indonesia. Observers note a pattern of “repeated impunity”. The assault came only days after Andrie received various intimidation through text messages and telephone calls from unknown numbers. The absence of swift arrests often creates public perception that powerful forces are behind such attacks. This echoes the case of Novel Baswedan, in which caustic liquid was used as an instrument of terror to stop someone’s efforts to expose injustice.
Following the incident, waves of solidarity flowed from various civil society organisations including Amnesty International Indonesia, YLBHI, and various student alliances. They urged the Indonesian National Police to thoroughly investigate the case transparently and professionally, using scientific crime investigation methods.
Both the Deputy Minister for Human Rights, Mugiyanto, and the National Police Commission (Kompolnas) have strongly condemned the caustic liquid attack against Andrie Yunus.