Medical update regarding Human Rights Defender Andrie Yunus (Indonesia)

Category: Statements

The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) expresses its profound horror and outrage following the devastating medical update regarding human rights defender Andrie Yunus, whose eyes are reportedly melting due to the severity of a targeted acid attack. Andrie, the Deputy Coordinator for External Affairs of our member organization KontraS, remains in critical condition with chemical burns covering 20% of his body.This barbaric assault, which took place on 12 March 2026, was clearly premeditated, occurring immediately after Andrie participated in a public discussion regarding remilitarism and the expansion of military influence in Indonesia.


Most alarmingly, investigations into this atrocity have revealed allegations of the involvement of Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) personnel. Reports have specifically linked the case to the Strategic Intelligence Agency (BaIS). These allegations are consistent with a pattern of state-linked intimidation; in 2025, army vehicles were observed surveilling the KontraS office and photographing the premises.AFAD strongly condemns this heinous attack and stands in solidarity with all human rights defenders in Indonesia. This tragedy is a violent wound on the face of democracy and a blatant attempt to silence those who document state violence and enforced disappearances.

 

We demand immediate and absolute accountability from the Indonesian government:

  • Civilian, Not Military, Justice: We demand that this case be tried in public civilian courts. History shows that the military justice system often serves as a "fortress" for its members, failing to reach intellectual masterminds and opting instead to "break the chain of responsibility" by punishing only low-level operators with light sentences.
  • Independent Investigation: The Indonesian National Police must conduct a transparent inquiry that accounts for the coercive power of the suspected institutions involved.
  • Protection and Medical Care: The state must ensure Andrie receives specialized medical treatment and that the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) provides full security for Andrie, his family, and the staff of KontraS.
  • End the Culture of Impunity: President Prabowo Subianto must ensure that no individual—regardless of their uniform—is above the law.

The Indonesian government must act now to prove that the "acid" of impunity will not be allowed to dissolve the pillars of civil supremacy.