Vice-Presidential Chief of Staff emphasises healthy democracy in wake of KontraS activist attack
Jakarta — The Vice-President’s Chief of Staff Tina Talisa has emphasised the importance of ensuring the safety of every citizen whilst maintaining a healthy and open democratic space in response to an acid attack on KontraS activist Andrie Yunus.
Tina stated that the government has given serious attention and concern to the incident. “The government expresses deep concern over this assault incident,” Tina said in her statement in Jakarta on Sunday.
She stressed that acts of violence such as acid attacks cannot be justified in a nation-state that upholds law, humanitarian values and democratic principles.
According to Tina, President Prabowo Subianto has given clear direction to law enforcement authorities to thoroughly investigate the incident professionally, transparently and in accordance with applicable legal provisions. “The state is interested in ensuring that every act of violence against citizens is handled seriously and fairly,” Tina said.
The government, she continued, ensures that the victim receives medical treatment and necessary recovery support whilst continuing to monitor developments in the ongoing law enforcement process. The state, she stated, is committed to strengthening protection for citizens and ensuring democratic space is maintained.
The government has also called on all parties to place trust in the legal process underway and to work together to maintain a conducive situation.
National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, at Gubeng Station in Surabaya, East Java on Sunday, stated that President Prabowo Subianto has ordered the police to thoroughly investigate the Andrie Yunus case. He said the police are gathering various information and even opening complaint posts for the public.
Previously, on 12 March 2026, Andrie Yunus was attacked with acid whilst riding a motorcycle after conducting a podcast recording at the office of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), which was discussing militarism and constitutional review of the National Armed Forces law.
YLBHI has characterised the attack on Andrie Yunus as alleged premeditated attempted murder.