Women's Movement in Yogyakarta Shows Solidarity with Andrie Yunus
Suara Ibu Indonesia, a women’s movement in Yogyakarta, distributed red roses in a solidarity action on behalf of Andrie Yunus, Deputy Coordinator of the Commission for Disappeared Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras). The flower distribution took place at the Universitas Gadjah Mada roundabout in Yogyakarta on Saturday, 14 March 2026.
Tens of demonstrators from various age groups and occupations carried placards expressing support for Andrie. They demanded that police conduct a thorough investigation into the assault.
Andrie was sprayed with a hazardous liquid by two unidentified individuals on motorcycles who approached from the opposite direction on Jalan Salemba I-Talang, Central Jakarta, on Thursday evening, 12 March 2026.
In addition to red roses, protesters placed white and yellow chrysanthemums alongside various posters of support for Andrie Yunus. “Red roses symbolise non-violence and the affection of mothers for Andrie,” said Chilla, a representative of Suara Ibu.
According to Chilla, the flowers symbolised strength against the vigilance of defenders like Andrie who had become targets of terrorism and violence. Suara Ibu Indonesia condemned the attempted murder of human rights defender Andrie Yunus.
The deliberate caustic liquid attack constituted blatant intimidation against human rights defence, a particularly vicious act. The use of caustic liquid as a weapon to incapacitate victims signals that the attack on Andrie was premeditated. A previous assault of this nature targeted former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan in 2017, which caused permanent blindness in one of his eyes.
Spraying caustic liquid at the face is intended to kill. Suara Ibu Indonesia condemned such barbaric violence against unarmed civilians. Human rights defence work is care work.
Mothers and human rights defenders alike seek to ensure that humanitarian values are upheld in both public and private spaces. A human rights defender will not remain silent witnessing people oppressed by authority, just as a mother will not remain silent witnessing her child suffer.
“When a young person is hurt, killed, or experiences injustice, mothers share that same pain,” she stated.
Suara Ibu demanded that the police force (Polri) identify the perpetrators of the attack on Andrie Yunus within no more than seven days.
In a separate statement, Herlambang P. Wiratraman, a researcher at the Centre for Law and Social Justice Studies (LSJ) of UGM’s Faculty of Law, characterised the attack on Andrie as a vicious and inhumane act. Violence in the form of caustic liquid attacks, which have occurred repeatedly, stems from the emergence of systematic impunity.
“Perpetrators of crimes and human rights violations are free to attack and occupy public positions,” he said.
He urged the government to take responsibility for providing legal protection to human rights defenders. This protection should be ensured by identifying the perpetrators of the attack, their motives, and the power relationships involved. “The attack instils fear in those who speak critically against those in power,” he stated.
The parliament (DPR), the President, and the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) must give serious attention to surveillance, investigation, and legal action conducted professionally and with integrity. State institutions must ensure no delays occur.
The President should be firm against such repression and openly demonstrate political commitment in implementing Article 28 I paragraph 4 of the Constitution concerning protection, enforcement, and promotion of human rights. Herlambang expressed increasing concern that attacks are part of a broader package of repression against youth activism and its importance.
The result is that such terrorism creates fear and obscures remilitarisation, systematic corruption behind free nutritious meal programmes, red-and-white cooperatives, people’s schools, and mobilisation battalions that plunder public budgets. “Andrie’s struggle and that of other young people to halt remilitarisation and mega-corruption must be sustained,” he said.