YLBHI Urges Police to Uncover Intellectual Actors Behind Acid Attack on Andrie Yunus
Civil society coalitions alongside legal experts are urging the Indonesian National Police (Polri) to thoroughly investigate the acid attack case against KontraS activist Andrie Yunus. This demand emphasises that the investigation should not stop at the field perpetrators but extend to the intellectual actors behind the assault.
General Chairman of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), Muhamad Isnur, stated that uncovering this case aligns with President Prabowo Subianto’s firm commitment, which explicitly described the incident befalling Andrie Yunus as a form of terrorism that must be dismantled down to the main perpetrators.
“The acid attack and criminalisation of activists must not be normalised. The state must step in to reveal it, as only the state has the authority and resources,” Isnur said during a public discussion at the Indonesia Youth Congress (IYC) in Jakarta on Monday (30/3/2026).
Criminal Law Expert from Binus University, Ahmad Sofyan, assessed the attack on Andrie Yunus as qualifying as premeditated attempted murder. He stressed the importance of testing this case in the general courts to ensure the principle of equality before the law.
“The principle of the rule of law is that no party should be immune from the law. This case should be processed through the general courts, not military courts. The authorities must uncover the parties issuing the orders,” Sofyan said.
He also urged revisions to the TNI Law to eliminate any loopholes for immunity for certain parties involved in general criminal acts, in order to strengthen the supremacy of law in Indonesia.
Threat of Remilitarisation and Democracy
Social-political Analyst from Jakarta State University (UNJ), Ubedilah Badrun, highlighted the background before the attack occurred. The acid pouring incident was known to have taken place after Andrie Yunus and KontraS actively advocated on issues of remilitarisation and rejection of TNI Law revisions at the YLBHI office.
“There are signs of strengthening militarism in civilian spaces in recent years. Public solidarity is needed to ensure this case is uncovered to its roots so as not to disrupt democratic consolidation,” Ubedilah said.
In agreement, Head of the Impunity Monitoring Division of KontraS, Jane Rosalina R, reminded Polri that the public is awaiting proof of President Prabowo’s promise. KontraS requested that Polri trace allegations of involvement by command structures above the field perpetrators.
“Polri must uncover the perpetrators not only at the executor level but up to the command structures above them. This is part of fulfilling the President’s commitment who called this incident a form of terrorism,” Jane concluded.
General Chairman of YLBHI, Muhamad Isnur, highlighted discrepancies in data on the suspected perpetrators of the acid attack on KontraS activist Andrie Yunus as revealed by the police and TNI.
General Chairman of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), Muhammad Isnur, affirmed that the suspected perpetrator of the acid attack on KontraS activist Andrie Yunus will be tried in the general court.
He explained simply that the attack using acid involved four perpetrators with a division of tasks.
The YLBHI Chairman welcomed the decision of the Panel of Judges at the Central Jakarta District Court which acquitted four activists, namely Delpedro Marhaen et al.
The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) strongly condemned the presence of President Prabowo Subianto at the Board of Peace (BOP) meeting held on Thursday, 19 February 2026.
Chairman of the KontraS Board of Trustees, Indria Fernida, revealed that Andrie Yunus’s current condition is still undergoing intensive treatment in the High Care Unit (HCU) room.
KontraS urged the DPR to push the President to form an Independent Joint Fact-Finding Team (TGPF) to thoroughly investigate the intellectual actors behind the acid attack on Andrie Yunus in order to safeguard democracy.
KontraS revealed “Operation Sadang” behind the acid attack case on Andrie Yunus. It is suspected to involve more than 16 intelligence personnel and targeting other activists.
KontraS emphasised the importance of Polri’s role in investigating this case transparently and accountably.
Challenges in law enforcement often lie not in technical capabilities but in the institution’s willingness to transparently open facts when the case touches internal domains.