Yusril Condemns Acid Attack on KontraS Deputy Coordinator as Attack on Democracy
The Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections (Menko Kumham Imipas), Yusril Ihza Mahendra, has strongly condemned the acid attack that befell KontraS Deputy Coordinator Andrie Yunus. Yusril emphasised that this brutal act is not merely ordinary crime but a direct assault on democratic values and the constitution in Indonesia.
Yusril stated that human rights defenders work in the interests of the people and the nation, and therefore their safety must be fully guaranteed by law.
“The acid attack on Andrie Yunus from KontraS is an attack on democracy itself. Attacking human rights activists, even if we disagree with them, cannot be justified,” Yusril said in a written statement on Friday, 13 March 2026.
Yusril detected indications that the attack on Andrie Yunus was carried out in a planned and organised manner. Therefore, he called on the National Police not to stop merely at arresting the perpetrators in the field (executors), but also to uncover who was behind the incident.
“I call on law enforcement officials, particularly the National Police, to ensure a thorough investigation up to the intellectual actors. The investigation of this incident must not stop at the executor level,” Yusril stressed.
Yusril stated he had directly coordinated with the Metro Jaya Police Chief and the National Police Criminal Investigation Directorate to monitor developments in this case. He said police are currently conducting intensive investigations to uncover evidence in the field.
Furthermore, Yusril emphasised that President Prabowo Subianto is highly committed to upholding law and democracy. According to him, the government will not tolerate violence against those who are critical or hold opposing political views.
“The President will not tolerate violence against activists or anyone else. As we have seen, the President even invited those who frequently disagree with him for open dialogue at the Palace,” he added.
Yusril urged the public to remain calm and give police space to work so this case can be uncovered objectively and transparently. He assured that whoever the perpetrators are and whatever their motives, they will be prosecuted firmly according to Indonesian law.
Previously, Andrie Yunus was attacked with acid by an unknown person in the Salemba area, Central Jakarta, late Thursday evening, 12 March 2026. At the time, Andrie was returning after completing a podcast recording about criticism of remilitarisation. As a result of the attack, Andrie Yunus reported suffering serious burns to his face, eyes, chest and both hands.