Yusril's Response to Acid Attack on KontraS Activist
The Minister for Coordination of Legal Affairs, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, stated he was not yet aware of details regarding the attack on human rights activist Andrie Yunus. The External Coordinator of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) was doused with caustic acid in Jakarta on Thursday evening, 12 March 2026.
Yusril was questioned about the incident whilst heading to a cabinet meeting with President Prabowo Subianto at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Friday, 13 March 2026. “I don’t know yet,” Yusril said.
The attack on Andrie was reported by the media approximately one hour before Yusril was approached by journalists. The incident had previously been discussed across various social media platforms. Yusril claimed he had not yet received information about the incident. “I don’t know, I haven’t heard about it yet,” said the former chairman of the Crescent Star Party.
When asked whether he intended to investigate the attack on Andrie, Yusril replied: “I will coordinate that later. I don’t know yet, let me coordinate first.”
Andrie Yunus was reportedly attacked with caustic acid by an unknown assailant. He sustained the attack on Jalan Talang, Central Jakarta, on Thursday evening, 12 March 2026 at approximately 23:37 Western Indonesian Time.
According to KontraS’s account, Andrie was riding his motorcycle on Jalan Salemba I – Talang, Central Jakarta, when two assailants approached from the opposite direction on Jalan Talang, specifically at Jembatan Talang, riding what is suspected to be a Honda Beat motorcycle from the 2016-2021 model years.
The perpetrators were two men, acting as driver and passenger respectively. “They had the following characteristics: The first perpetrator was the driver, wearing a white and blue combination t-shirt, jeans-like trousers, and a black helmet,” according to KontraS’s account from Friday, 13 March 2026.
The second perpetrator, the rear passenger, wore a face covering or black buff-style mask covering half of his face. He wore a dark blue t-shirt and blue trousers folded short and appearing to be made of denim.
One of the assailants then sprayed caustic acid towards Andrie, striking parts of his body. Andrie cried out in pain and fell from his motorcycle.
As a result of the attack, Andrie suffered serious injuries across his body, particularly on his right and left hands, face, chest, and eyes. Following examination, KontraS found no evidence of any possessions being stolen or taken from the victim, either during or after the incident.
Andrie was immediately taken to the nearest hospital in Jakarta and received emergency medical treatment, particularly for his eyes which had been exposed to the liquid. According to examination results, Andrie sustained burns affecting 24 percent of his body.
The incident occurred shortly after Andrie had completed recording a podcast at the office of the Legal Aid Foundation Institute (YLBHI) in Menteng, Central Jakarta. The podcast, titled “Remilitarisation and Judicial Review in Indonesia,” was completed at approximately 23:00 Western Indonesian Time.
KontraS Coordinator Dimas Bagus Arya stated that this action represented an attempt to silence critical voices in society, particularly human rights defenders. Dimas said the incident must immediately receive wide attention from various quarters, including law enforcement and civil society.
He also called on police to investigate the incident. “Law enforcement must immediately conduct an investigation to uncover the perpetrators and the motive behind the attack,” he said in a written statement.
Furthermore, he demanded that the perpetrators be prosecuted with the maximum severity under the attempted murder article, as referenced under Article 459 of the Indonesian Criminal Code. “Given that an acid attack on a victim can result in serious, fatal injuries up to death,” he said.