ARTICLE 19 condemns the targeted acid attack on Indonesian human rights defender Andrie Yunus on 12 March in Central Jakarta. We call on the government of Indonesia to conduct a thorough and independent investigation into the crime. The attack is a stark reminder of the threats to freedom of expression and human rights in Indonesia, and we stand in solidarity with Yunus and the country’s human rights community.
Andrie Yunus is the Deputy Coordinator for External Affairs for KontraS, the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (Komisi untuk Orang Hilang dan Korban Tindak Kekerasan), which was founded in 1998 and is one of Indonesia’s leading human rights organisations.
According to KontraS, two unidentified people attacked Yunus immediately after he had contributed to a podcast on ‘Remilitarism and Judicial Review in Indonesia’, which was recorded at the office of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI). As a result of the attack, Yunus fell from his motorcycle and experienced intense pain, sustaining chemical burns to his hands, chest, face and eyes. He was promptly taken to the nearest hospital for emergency treatment. A medical examination confirmed burns covering approximately 24% of his body.
Andrie Yunus has been a human rights advocate and critic of the Indonesian government’s abuses of power, human rights violations, and the shrinking civic space in Indonesia for years. Some of his recent advocacy work includes being as a member of the Fact-Finding Commission (KPF), which has been conducting an independent investigation into the nationwide protests and unrest that occurred in Indonesia in over the past five months, starting in August 2025. The investigation was carried out by three prominent human rights organisations, KontraS, YLBHI, and the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH). The findings of the investigation, published on 18 February, revealed that the mass arrests during last year’s protests were part of an operation aimed at silencing pro-democracy activists through widespread detentions, instilling fear in young people and preventing them from speaking out against deviations in state policy.
In the days leading up to the incident, Yunus was targeted with a range of intimidation tactics, including receiving suspicious calls from unknown numbers between 9 March and 12 March.
‘We stand in solidarity with Andrie Yunus, KontraS, and human rights defenders at large in Indonesia. Targeted attacks against human rights defenders are attacks on democracy, human rights, and freedom of expression. The violent actions by unknown perpetrators do not occur in isolation; they are part of a broader pattern of ongoing assaults on human rights defenders and civil society in Indonesia.’ said Alfred Wu, Head of the Asia-Pacific Programme at ARTICLE 19.
‘This must also be viewed in a broader context. Any attempts to silence or instil fear in civil society members who advocate for and defend the human rights of people in Indonesia, especially those from marginalised communities, will have a chilling effect. Such actions will further alienate these communities and undermine their ability to participate meaningfully in public life and governance.’
ARTICLE 19 demands an immediate and independent investigation into the attack on Andrie Yunus and the broader threats against civil society. This investigation must be conducted transparently and without bias. Additionally, we urge that measures to protect human rights defenders and civil society organisations in Indonesia be strengthened in response to this incident.