March 14, 2026 | 03:52 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders, Mary Lawlor, has urged Indonesia to investigate the acid attack on Andrie Yunus, the Deputy External Affairs Coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS).
In a social media post on Friday, March 13, 2026, Lawlor expressed her deep concern regarding the assault on the human rights activist by unidentified individuals.
"I call on the Indonesian authorities to carry out thorough investigations into this horrific attack. Impunity for violence against HRDs is unacceptable," Lawlor stated through her Facebook account, @MaryLawlorhrds.
In her appeal, Lawlor also tagged the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Indonesia to the UN in Geneva (@IndonesiaGeneva) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (@Kemlu_RI).
Coordinating Minister for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration, and Correctional Affairs, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, previously stated that the act of pouring acid on Andrie Yunus constitutes an attack on democratic values and human rights enforcement in Indonesia.
Yusril also urged law enforcement agencies, specifically the Indonesian National Police (Polri), to investigate the case. He mentioned that investigators should not only identify the perpetrators and their motives but also uncover the masterminds behind the incident.
According to him, the pattern of the attack indicates organized planning; therefore, the legal process must not stop at the field operatives. "I ask law enforcement agencies, especially the National Police, to ensure a thorough investigation into the intellectual actors, not just the perpetrators on the ground," Yusril said in a written statement on March 13, 2026.
Andrie Yunus was attacked with acid while on Salemba I-Talang Street, Central Jakarta, on Thursday night, March 12, 2026. He was doused with a dangerous solution by two unidentified individuals on a motorcycle traveling from the opposite direction.
KontraS Coordinator Dimas Bagus Arya said the perpetrators poured acid over the front of Andrie's body, causing him to fall. "The victim immediately screamed in pain, causing him to drop his motorcycle," Dimas said on Friday, March 13, 2026.
Dimas recounted that prior to the incident, Andrie had finished recording a podcast titled "Remilitarism and Judicial Review in Indonesia" at the Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) office in Central Jakarta at approximately 11:00 p.m. local time. Following the recording, the victim stopped at a gas station in the Cikini area before continuing his journey.
At approximately 11:37 p.m., two men on an automatic motorcycle approached Andrie and poured acid on him. The corrosive chemical hit parts of the right side of his body, including his eyes, face, chest, and hands.
Portions of the victim's clothing melted due to the acid, and medical examinations revealed that Andrie suffered serious burns over 24 percent of his body. The victim’s cries for help drew several residents to the scene.
The perpetrators reportedly dropped a stainless steel glass while attempting to flee toward Salemba Raya Street. As of this report, Andrie Yunus remains under intensive treatment at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM).
Dian Rahma Fika contributed to the report
Read: Acid Attack on Activist Andrie Yunus Aimed to Kill, Says Novel
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