Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition condemns and strongly criticises the acid attack on Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Deputy Coordinator Andrie Yunus in the early hours of Friday, March 13 in the Salemba area of Central Jakarta.
This cruel and cowardly attack caused Yunus to suffer serious burns on some 24 percent of his body, including his face, eyes, chest and hands.
The attack was carried out by two perpetrators who deliberately approached the victim on a motorbike and splashed a dangerous chemical liquid directly onto the victim's body before fleeing the scene. This attack occurred just moments after Yunus completed public advocacy activities, including recording a podcast on the theme of remilitarisation and a judicial review of the Indonesian Military (TNI) Law at the offices of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI).
This attack shows strong indications of being a planned and organised action. The way the perpetrators splashed dangerous chemical liquids directly onto vital body parts, including the face and respiratory tract, shows that this was not just an act of ordinary violence, but was potentially intended to take the victim's life.
Therefore, we view this attack as being strongly suspected of being attempted premeditated murder which must be investigated seriously and thoroughly by law enforcement officials.
This attack cannot be separated from the context of the victim's work as a human rights defender who has consistently exposed abuse of power, human rights violations and the narrowing of civil space in Indonesia. In the days before the incident, the victim had also received various forms of intimidation, including suspicious calls from unknown phone numbers. This kind of pattern of intimidation shows a systematic effort to spread fear against those who actively carry out advocacy work and defend human rights.
Furthermore, Yunus is a member of the Fact Finding Commission (KPF) who for the last five months has carried out an independent investigation into the series of protests and riots in August 2025. Through this long investigative work, the KPF report revealed various serious findings, including disproportionate use of force by the authorities, mass arrests, allegations of torture and the widespread criminalisation of activists and civilians. The series of events in August 2025 alone resulted in at least 13 deaths and hundreds of civilians being criminalised, and marked one of the largest waves of repression against civil movements since the reformasi began in 1998.
Yunus had also previously protested strongly against the process of deliberations on revisions to the TNI Law which he considered to be not transparent. On March 15, 2025, he and other Civil Society Coalition activists broke through the door of the meeting room at the Fairmont Hotel in Jakarta to interrupt a closed discussion of the Draft Law on the TNI (RUU TNI) between the government and House of Representatives (DPR) members. This action was carried out as a form of protest against the discussion process which was closed to the public and had the potential to revive the practice of the military's dual social and political function (dwi-fungsi).
In this context, the brutal attack on Yunus cannot be seen as an ordinary criminal act. The Civil Society Coalition considers that throwing the acid at Yunus was an attack on the civil society movement as a whole. These attacks must be seen as part of a pattern of intimidation against human rights defenders and a systematic effort to silence those who dare to reveal the facts, challenge impunity, criticize power and fight for justice. The state must not pretend that it does not see the political context of these attacks. If human rights defenders can be brutally attacked in public spaces in the nation's capital, then this shows how fragile the state's protection is for citizens fighting for justice and how limited the safe space is for human rights defence work in Indonesia.
Therefore, we urge the state to:
1. Reveal and take responsibility for providing clarity on the handling of such cases and the protective measures for people who actively voice opinions, including human rights defenders. We remind you that this case must not end like many other cases of terror and violence against human rights defenders that evaporate without clarity.
2. Immediately arrest and prosecute the perpetrators and reveal all the perpetrators involved as well as the intellectual actors behind the attack, don't just stop at the perpetrators in the field.
3. Take concrete steps to ensure safety and provide real protection for Yunus and other human rights defenders who continue to face intimidation and violence, not just making formal statements.
4. Ensure comprehensive recovery, guarantee the best medical care and rehabilitation for victims and their families for the brutal attacks they have experienced, including compensation for all material and immaterial losses.
We emphasise that terror against one human rights defender is terror against all of civil society. We will continue to monitor this case until the perpetrators and those responsible are tried and punished as fairly as possible. There must be no room for terror against human rights defenders in a country that claims to be a democracy.
Jakarta, March 13, 2026
Civil Society Coalition
Also in solidarity with this statement as of March 13, 2026 at 5 pm West Indonesia Time are the following organisations and individuals:
Organisations
1. Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras)
2. YLBHI (Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI)
3. Amnesty International Indonesia (AII)
4. Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR)
5. Greenpeace Indonesia
6. Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial)
7. Trend Asia
8. Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet)
9. Public Virtue Research Institute
10. Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Jakarta)
11. LBH Banda Aceh
12. Mining Advocacy Network (JATAM)
13. Aceh Institute
14. Thursday Action
15. Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI)
16. Social Justice Indonesia
17. Centre of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS)
18. Constitutional and Administrative Law Society (CALS)
19. Centre for Indonesian Law and Policy Studies (PSHK)
20. Indonesian Justice and Peace Foundation (YKPI)
21. Indonesian Women Against Corruption (PIA)
22. Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI)
23. The Alliance Church
24. National Student Front (FMN()
25. Student Executive Board of the Indonesian Institute of Islamic Studies (STHI) Jentera
26. Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI)
27. Aceh Initiative Movement
28. Indonesian Green Party (PHI)
29. Women's Solidarity Union (PSP)
30. Muhammadiyah Central Leadership's Legal Aid Institute
31. Muhammadiyah Central Leadership's Legal and Human Rights Council
32. Muhammadiyah Central Leadership's Legal Aid Institute
33. Indonesian Caucus for Academic Freedom (KIKA)
34. Centre for Legal Studies and Social Justice (LSJ), Faculty of Law, Gadjah Mada University
35. Muhammadiyah Aceh Regional Leadership's Legal Aid Institute
36. Centre for State Policy Studies (PSKN), Faculty of Law, Padjadjaran University
37. Mahardhika Women's Association
38. UPN Veteran Jakarta Student Court
39. Law Students' Union in Motion (SEMARAK), Faculty of Law, UPN Veteran Jakarta
40. AMAR Law Firm and Public Interest Law Office
41. Mprog Media
42. Democracy Lab
43. Voice of Indonesian Mothers
44. Konde.co
45. Karimunjawa Struggle Circle
46. Semai Collective
47. Marsinah.id
48. Ruangkota.com
49. Perempuan Threads
50. Artsforwomen Indonesia
51. UNIQUEER
52. Campus Workers Union
53. Indonesian Transport Workers Union (SPAI)
54. Youth Movement Against Criminalization (GMLK)
55. Community Legal Aid Institute (LBH Masyarakat)
56. Coordination of Former Indonesian Migrant Workers (KOPPMI)
57. Indonesian Migrant Workers Network (JBMI)
58. Caksana Institute
59. Sharing Forum
60. Civil Society Coalition Against Sexual Violence (KOMPAKS)
61. PuKAT Corruption
62. Media and Creative Industries Workers Union for Democracy (SINDIKASI)
63. Media and Creative Industries Workers Union for Democracy (SINDIKASI) Yogyakarta Region
64. Media Workers Union and Creative Industries for Democracy (SINDIKASI) for the Greater Jakarta area
65. Muhammadiyah Green Cadres
66. Students for Liberty (SFL) Indonesia
67. Pantau Foundation
68. Our Indonesia Movement (GITA)
69. Jakarta Feminist
70. GITAKU Choir
71. NocturNo
72. STF Driyarkara Social Movement
73. Bangsa Mahardika
74. Crazy Women's Collective
75. Progresip.id
76. Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW)
77. Mama Aleta Foundation
78. TKPT Indonesia
79. Society for Indonesian Democracy (MUDA)
80. Public Health Activists (SAFETY)
81. Forced Labor Trap
82. Advocates Study Circle (LSA)
83. The People Participation, Initiative and Partnership Strengthening Foundation (YAPPIKA)
84. Emancipate Indonesia
85. Human Rights Working Group (HRWG)
86. Humanis
87. HOME MIGRANT
88. WALHI Bangka Belitung Islands
89. Bumi Setara
90. UNJ Alliance Against
91. Bandung Kamisan Action
92. Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR)
93. KPIP
94. Migrant CARE
95. Student Federation (FIJAR)
96. Kawula17
97. Utan Kayu Community
98. Pusaka Bentala Rakyat Foundation
99. Satya Bumi
100. International Migrants Alliance Asia Pacific
101. Indonesian Migrant Workers Union (SBMI)
102. Indonesia to Eliminate Femicide
103. Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta Islamic State University (UIN) Student Association
104. Youth Legal Awareness Movement of UIN Jakarta
105. Indonesian Young Greens
106. Save Sangihe Ikekendage
107. KASBI Confederation (Indonesian Trade Union Alliance Congress)
108. Indonesian Labor Struggle Federation (FPBI)
109. Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN)
110. Indonesian HuMa Association
111. Indonesian National Student Movement (GMNI) South Tangerang Branch
112. Minaesa Conscience Voice Foundation
113. Indonesian National Student Movement (GMNI) UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta Commissariat
114. ABC+ Worker Control
115. Indonesian Forum for the Environment, East Nusa Tenggara Regional Executive (WALHI NTT)
116. Indonesian Young Core
117. New Men's Alliance
118. Indonesian National Students Movement (GMNI) Jakarta Regional Executive Board
119. Rainbow Love Diakonia Foundation (YDPK)
120. Indonesian Matters
121. Migrant Workers Union (PBM)
122. Indonesian Forum for the Environment, West Nusa Tenggara Regional Executive
123. Independent Nature Observer, West Nusa Tenggara
124. Rinjani Steps, West Nusa Tenggara
125. Wanapalan, West Nusa Tenggara
126. South Jakarta Regional Executive Board of GMNI
127. Support Group and Resource Centre on Sexuality Studies (SGRC for Indonesia)
128. Purple Code Collective
129. Peat Monitoring
130. Arus Pelangi
131. Kidung, Subang
132. Indonesian Grassroots Forum (FARI)
133. Kalyanamitra
134. Muhammadiyah Central Executive Institute for Public Policy and Wisdom (LHKP)
135. Puppetry School SASAK
136. BITRA INDONESIA
137. Inti Muda DKI Jakarta
138. Transparency International Indonesia
139. People's Liberation Party (PPR)
140. East Kalimantan Kamisan Action
141. Student Struggle Centre for National Liberation (Pembebasan)
142. Institute for the Study and Advocacy of Judicial Independence (LeIP)
143. Agrarian Reform Consortium (KPA)
144. Indonesian Indigenous Youth Front (BPAN)
145. Student Executive Board of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Indonesia
146. Indonesian RISK Centre
147. Generation Pamphlet Association
148. Sawit Watch Association
149. Indonesian Parliamentary Centre
150. Indonesian Family Planning Association
151. Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM)
152. Rahima Association
153. Petrasa Sidikalang Foundation
154. Dairi Organic Farmers Association (PPODA)
155. United Farmers Group (KTB) of Sileuh Leuh Parsaoran Village, Dairi
156. Literakyat Community
157. YIFoS Indonesia
158. Women's Legal Aid Foundation for Justice (APIK)
159. Tifa Foundation
160. Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Indonesia
161. LaporIklim
162. Centra Initiative
163. Indonesia Last Week
164. The Indah G Show
165. APIK Young Paralegals Jakarta
166. Just A Stick
167. Wise Monitoring
168. PATTIROS Association
169. AJI Ambon City
170. Extended Family of Indonesian Migrant Workers (KABAR BUMI)
171. Epistema Institute
172. Indonesian Youth Struggle Front, Yogyakarta City Leadership
173. National Labor Movement Centre (SGBN)
174. Auriga Foundation Nusantara
175. Political Prisoners
Individuals
1. Lukman Hakim Saifudin
2. Pdt. Gomar Gultom
3. Sulistyowati Irianto
4. Alissa Wahid
5. Laode M. Syarif
6. Marzuki Darusman
7. Maria Catarina Sumarsih, parent of a Semanggi I victim on November 13, 1998
8. Suciwati Munir
9. Pdt. Jacky Manuputty
10. Bivitri Susanti
11. Andreas Harsono
12. Pdt. Ronald R. Tapilatu
13. M Busyro Muqoddas
14. Herlambang P. Wiratraman
15. Herdiansyah Hamzah
16. Satria Unggul Wicaksana P
17. Saiful Mahdi
18. I Ngurah Suryawan
19. Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas
20. Ita Fatia Nadia
21. Yanuar Nugroho
A. Setyo WIbowo
22. Goenawan Mohamad
23. Ubedillah Badrun
24. Henny Supolo Sitepu
25. Tunggal Pramesti
26. Sandra Hamid
27. Sita Supomo
28. Susi Dwi Harijanti
29. Daniel Frits Maurits Tangkilisan
30. Ika Ardina
31. Silvia Putri Sigalingging
32. Alif Iman Nurlambang (STF Driyarkara)
33. Iva Kasuma
34. Dian Septi Trisnanti
35. Olin Monteiro
36. Ina Irawati
37. Yuli Riswati
38. Feliks Erasmus Arga
39. Wisnu Prasetya Utomo
40. Wahyu Susilo
41. Febriani Savitri
42. Felix Baghi
43. Sandie Elisabeth Monteiro
44. Zainal Arifin Mochtar
45. Andina Septia
46. Nena Hutahaean
47. Ferry Widodo
48. Bunga Margareth Salsa
49. Yulistyo Tedjo
50. Mayadina Rohmi Musfiroh
51. Avianti Armand
52. Sri Murlianti
53. Siti Maimunah
54. Kanti W. Janis
55. Arsenius Agung Boli Ama
56. Valentina Utari
57. Boy Jerry Even Sembiring
58. Dhia Al Uyun
59. Hariati Sinaga
60. Surya Cenuk Sayekti
61. Rafiqa Qurrata A yun
62. Imam Shofwan
63. Isman Rahmani Yusron
64. Mulyono Sri Hutomo
65. Devi Adriyanti
66. Andy Yentriyani
67. Ni Putu Candra Dewi
68. Zidane Heri Saputra
69. Indiah Sari Kasmadini
70. Hari Kurniawan
71. Fitria Sumarni
72. Siti Muniroh
73. Muhammad Rayhan Raspati
74. Uli Arta Siagian
75. Amry Al Mursalaat
76. Lia Siagian (Padus GITAKU)
77. David Efendi
78. Bodhi IA
79. Rinto Leonardo S.
80. Muhammad Naziful Haq
81. Delima Silalahi
82. Muhammad Arman
83. Nikensari Setiadi
84. Syahrul
85. Kelana Wisnu Sapta Nugraha
86. Rieswin Rachwell
87. Audrey Verina Cungwin
88. Nimrot Munte
89. Monica Siregar
90. Christina Yulita
91. Rully Winata
92. Echa Wao de
93. Yopin Pratama
94. Ahmad Ashov Birry
95. Abdul Latief Apriaman
96. Dian Purnomo
97. Surya Anta
98. Theresia Iswarini
99. Dhyta Caturani
100. Julius Ibrani
101. Efi Sri Handayani
102. Willy Hamdani
103. Amalia Puri Handayani
104. Panca Saktiyani
105. Sandra Moniaga
106. Nursyahbani Katjasungkana
107. Yuliana Ayu Cahyati
108. Kohar Johan Tambunan
109. Indah G
110. Nurmalia Ika W
111. Ainul Yaqin
112. Dilla Anindita
113. Ika Agustina
114. Duat Sihombing
115. Wanda Roxanne
116. Fatia Maulidiyanti
117. Ael Napitupulu
118. Parid Ridwanuddin
119. Pradarma Rupangy
120. Azyl Azarrahman
121. Lilis Sumilia
122. Rozy Brilian Sodik
123. Evi Narti Zain
124. Lidwina
125. Rusdi Marpaung
126. Ikrar W.
127. Arif Nugraha
128. Vincent Leonardo
129. Luky Djani
130. Jesse Adam Halim
131. Firda Amelya Malik
132. Eva Sundari
133. Dhini. M
134. Venansius Haryanto
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Usut tuntas pelaku percobaan pembunuhan berencana dengan penyiraman air keras kepada Andrie Yunus".]
