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Soldiers arrested in acid attack on rights activist
Indonesian military police have detained four soldiers accused of involvement in an acid attack on Andrie Yunus, a prominent activist investigating forced disappearances and military influence in government.
Attack details and injuries
Yunus, a researcher with the rights group KontraS, sustained burns covering over 20% of his body after two assailants on a scooter threw acid at him last week. He was hospitalized in Jakarta with severe injuries to his face, hands, chest, and eyes, according to a KontraS statement.
The attack occurred while Yunus was riding his motorcycle after recording a podcast about the military's expanding role in politics.
Military and government response
The four detained soldiers are members of an intelligence unit, military police commander Yusri Nuryanto confirmed. Authorities are investigating the motive behind the assault.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, a former general, has not publicly addressed calls for an independent investigation but directed officials to conduct an "objective, open, and expeditious" probe, a presidential spokesperson said Tuesday.
International and domestic reactions
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed "deep concern" over the attack, while KontraS described it as an "attempt to silence critical voices."
Protests erupted across Indonesia over the weekend, with demonstrators rallying in support of Yunus. Rights groups have urged Prabowo to establish an independent investigative team.
Broader context of intimidation
Yunus, a vocal critic of a 2023 military law revision that broadens officers' roles in government, had faced escalating threats before the attack. The Civil Society Coalition reported he received intimidating calls from unknown numbers in the days leading up to the incident.
Activists in Indonesia have long reported harassment for their advocacy work. In January, rights campaigners documented threats-including chicken carcasses and a Molotov cocktail-targeting critics of the government's flood response.
Military law controversy
The attack underscores tensions surrounding the revised military law, which Yunus and other activists argue risks further entrenching military influence in civilian affairs. The bill passed last year despite opposition from rights groups.
"This is not just an attack on one individual but an assault on democratic dissent,"
Civil Society Coalition statement
