Prabowo Subianto Faces Calls for Independent Probe into Acid Attack on Human Rights Activist

Jakarta, Indonesia – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is under increasing pressure to establish an independent fact-finding team to investigate the acid attack on Andrie Yunus, a prominent human rights activist and deputy coordinator at KontraS, the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence. The attack, carried out on March 12, 2026, has raised serious concerns about impunity for rights violations and the climate for civil society under the Prabowo administration.

Details of the Attack and Initial Arrests

According to reports, two men on a motorcycle threw acid at Yunus at approximately 11 p.m. At an intersection in the Menteng area of Jakarta. Yunus had recently finished recording a podcast interview at the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation. He sustained 24 percent burns to his face, chest, and hands, and may have lost sight in his right eye.

Indonesian military police have arrested four soldiers connected to the Indonesian Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS) in connection with the attack: a military captain, two lieutenants, and a sergeant. Footage from CCTV cameras released by the National Police shows the attack and the perpetrators following Yunus. The police have likewise analyzed over 2,000 images from 86 CCTV cameras around Jakarta, capturing Yunus’s movements in the week leading up to the incident.

Concerns Over Military Involvement and Accountability

Human Rights Watch has expressed grave concerns over the alleged involvement of military personnel in the attack, citing the Indonesian armed forces’ history of impunity for serious rights violations. The organization is calling for a fact-finding team independent of the military to ensure a thorough and impartial investigation.

Under Indonesian law, civilian police have limited authority to investigate military personnel. The 1997 Law on Military Courts stipulates that the military is responsible for investigating crimes committed by soldiers, and military tribunals have jurisdiction over such cases. However, critics argue that the military justice system lacks transparency, independence, and impartiality, and has historically failed to adequately address serious human rights abuses.

Broader Context: Prabowo Administration and Civil Society

The attack on Yunus comes amid growing concerns about the direction of human rights under President Prabowo Subianto. Since assuming office in October 2024, the Prabowo administration has enacted policies that activists say undermine civil society. These include amendments to the Armed Forces Law in March 2025, which allow for increased military presence in civilian government positions.

Yunus himself had been a vocal critic of the expansion of the military’s role in civilian sectors and participated in a report investigating potential involvement of BAIS officers in arson attacks during protests in August and September 2025. He had also reported receiving threats and being placed under surveillance prior to the attack.

More than 420 organizations have issued statements condemning the attack and calling for a full and independent investigation.

Prabowo’s Response and Next Steps

President Prabowo has publicly condemned the attack, stating, “This is a barbaric act, we must pursue it. We must investigate. Who ordered them, who paid?” However, activists are urging him to accept concrete action by establishing the independent fact-finding team called for by Human Rights Watch and other organizations.

The case is being closely watched by the international community as a test of the Prabowo administration’s commitment to upholding human rights and ensuring accountability for abuses.