March 19, 2026 | 10:01 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian pesident Prabowo Subianto has condemned the acid attack on human rights activist Andrie Yunus, calling the assault “atrocious terrorism.”
The attack targeted Andrie, a member of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS). “This is terrorism. This is a despicable act,” Prabowo said in a statement released by the Presidential Secretariat on Thursday, March 19, 2026.
Prabowo expressed his stance during a question-and-answer session at his residence in Hambalang, Bogor, West Java, which ran from Wednesday evening into early Thursday. Journalists and experts invited to the session asked questions about the incident and the government’s response.
The president stressed that all individuals involved must be held accountable. “Authorities must investigate not only the perpetrators but also the masterminds behind this attack,” he said.
As chairperson of the Gerindra Party, Prabowo emphasized that his administration will not tolerate violence against citizens, including critical activists. He insisted that the legal process must continue impartially, even if state officials are implicated.
“I want to uphold the law. I want a civilized Indonesia. There should be no such actions,” the former defense minister added.
The attack occurred on Thursday night, March 12, 2026, in the Talang Street area of Salemba, Central Jakarta. Andrie received treatment at the Emergency Unit of Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) in the early hours of Friday, March 13. He sustained burns covering 24 percent of his body. A team of six doctors from ophthalmology, otolaryngology, neurology, orthopedics, internal medicine, and dermatology is currently treating him.
The Jakarta Metropolitan Police identified the two attackers by the initials BHC and MAK, displaying their photos at a press conference at the police headquarters in South Jakarta on Wednesday, March 18, 2026.
On the same day, the Indonesian National Military Police Centre announced the arrest of four individuals, identified as NDP, SL, BWH, and ES, allegedly linked to the attack. The four are members of the Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS) of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, from the air and naval branches.
Dede Leni Mardianti and Nabiila Azzahra contributed to the writing of this article.
Read: Police Clarify Conflicting Suspect Initials in Andrie Yunus Case
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