Suspect in Acid Attack on Andrie Yunus Changed Clothes After Assault, Police Reveal

Police have revealed that the suspected perpetrator of the acid attack on Andrie Yunus, Deputy Coordinator of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), changed clothes after the assault.

“After the incident, one of the suspects allegedly changed his clothing before continuing his flight, and the analysis of communication networks shows the perpetrators subsequently dispersed to the Kalibata, Ragunan, and Bogor areas,” said Iman Imannudin, Head of the Criminal Investigation Division of Metro Jaya Police, on Tuesday (17 March).

Iman stated that four perpetrators were riding two motorcycles and dispersed in different directions after the attack.

He explained that one motorcycle carrying unknown perpetrators (OTK) 1 and OTK 2 fled against traffic on Jalan Salemba towards Pasar Senen. The perpetrators then proceeded to Jalan Kramat Raya, Tugu Tani, towards Gondangdia Station and subsequently towards South Jakarta.

“Then one vehicle carrying OTK 3 and OTK 4, from the incident location, did not turn around, but went straight to Jalan Pramuka Sari 2, subsequently towards Matraman, then monitored on CCTV towards the Jatinegara area, subsequently to Jalan Otto Iskandar Dinata in East Jakarta,” said Iman.

Police are currently pursuing the suspected perpetrators and conducting further investigations.

“We are continuing to gather legal evidence based on CCTV analysis and communication network data that we have obtained,” he explained.

Andrie Yunus’ Condition

The National Hospital Dr Cipto Mangunkusumo (RSCM) announced that Andrie Yunus is now stable and not in life-threatening condition after undergoing medical treatment following the acid attack.

RSCM is committed to providing comprehensive and professional medical care for every patient requiring treatment for complex trauma cases.

“Currently, the patient’s general condition is stable and not life-threatening. Medical treatment will continue in stages in accordance with the patient’s condition, including possible tissue reconstruction procedures and further treatments to help optimise the restoration of vision function,” stated the RSCM press release on Monday evening (16 March).

Andrie suffered chemical burns to his face and several body parts. He arrived at the RSCM emergency department on Friday morning (13 March) around midnight with burns to his face, neck, chest, back, and both arms, accompanied by vision loss in his right eye.

Upon arrival at the emergency department, the medical team immediately conducted initial examination and stabilisation procedures.

pH indicator examination revealed exposure to acidic chemical substances in the wound areas.

As initial treatment, the medical team conducted irrigation to affected areas to reduce the chemical’s effects and normalise tissue condition.

“Further examination showed that the patient sustained approximately 20 per cent burns across the body and severe grade three chemical trauma to the right eye in the acute phase. This condition caused sharp vision loss and damage to the corneal surface,” the hospital stated.

To address this, Andrie underwent debridement of damaged tissue on his right eye and amnion membrane transplantation to protect the eye surface and support the healing process.

Subsequently, Andrie was admitted to the Burns High Care Unit (HCU) for comprehensive monitoring and further care by a multidisciplinary medical team consisting of ophthalmologists, reconstructive plastic surgeons, and emergency medical specialists.

“Treatment provided includes wound care, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medication, vitamins, and treatment to maintain controlled intraocular pressure,” explained RSCM.

Andrie Yunus became a victim of an acid attack by unknown perpetrators that caused serious injuries across his body, particularly on his right and left hands, face, chest, and eyes.

The incident occurred shortly after Andrie completed recording a podcast at the Legal Aid Foundation Institute (YLBHI) office titled “Remilitarism and Judicial Review in Indonesia” at approximately 23:00 WIB on Thursday (12 March).

Police suspect the acid attack against Andrie involved four perpetrators.

This is based on 86 CCTV cameras and 2,610 videos with a total duration of 10,320 minutes that have been analysed by police in the investigation process.

Police are using Article 467 paragraph 2 or Article 468 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code regarding premeditated assault in this case.

This has drawn scrutiny from the Advocacy Team for Democracy (TAUD), which believes police should apply charges for attempted premeditated murder instead.

Under the new Criminal Code, this is outlined in Article 459, with premeditated murder carrying the death penalty. Attempted premeditated murder can carry a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment in accordance with Article 17 paragraph 4.