Indonesian Rights Activist Burned in Acid Attack, Investigation Launched

Indonesian authorities are investigating an acid attack that left human rights activist Andrie Yunus with burns covering 24% of his face and arms. The assault has drawn international condemnation and raised concerns about intimidation tactics against democracy advocates in the world's third-largest democracy.

JAKARTA – Law enforcement officials in Indonesia have launched an investigation into a brutal acid assault targeting a prominent human rights advocate who has spoken out against military involvement in civilian governance.

Andrie Yunus, who serves as deputy coordinator for the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS), sustained severe chemical burns across a quarter of his face and arms when two unknown attackers on a motorcycle doused him with acid on March 12.

The assault occurred shortly after Yunus had finished recording a podcast discussing the military’s growing influence in civilian matters, according to KontraS officials. The activist has been an outspoken opponent of this trend.

Concerns about weakening democratic institutions have mounted in Indonesia under President Prabowo Subianto’s leadership. The retired general’s administration has overseen a notable expansion of military participation in civilian sectors and government-operated enterprises.

These tensions contributed to widespread civil unrest that swept across Indonesia last August and September, which escalated after security personnel fatally shot a motorcycle taxi driver during a protest, sparking riots and mass detentions.

United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk condemned the assault in a social media post Saturday, calling it “horrific” and demanding justice for what he termed a “cowardly act of violence.”

A coalition of more than 170 Indonesian civil society organizations, including Amnesty International, has accused the perpetrators of attempting to murder Yunus as part of a campaign to intimidate human rights defenders.

Jakarta police spokesman Iman Imanuddin confirmed Monday that investigators are reviewing security camera recordings that captured the suspects trailing Yunus before the attack.

A parliamentary human rights oversight committee characterized the assault as a breach of Prabowo’s human rights pledges, while Justice Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra described the incident last week as “an assault on democracy itself.”

“Human rights activists work for the interests of the people and the state, as the protection of human rights and democracy is a constitutional mandate,” Mahendra stated.

Made Supriatma, a research fellow at Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, suggested the attack might have been designed to intimidate critics and discourage future demonstrations.

“It’s a warning shot for us all,” Supriatma observed.