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View all search resultsAcid attack ‘threat’ to young generation’s freedom
The assault on Andrie Yunus of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) was not a personal attack, but instead an attack on "young people who continue to fight for a just and humane Indonesia", activists said.
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A human rights activist with the Justice for Victims Solidarity Network holds a poster on Thursday during the 902nd “Kamisan” protest outside the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta. The demonstrators called for a thorough investigation into the acid attack on human rights defender Andrie Yunus, urging the formation of an independent fact-finding team and demanding that those responsible be tried in a civilian court. (JP/Iqro Rinaldi)
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ro-democracy figures and activists have warned that the acid attack on human rights defender Andrie Yunus threatens the young generation’s freedom to fight for justice, calling for just and transparent legal proceedings in the case.
On the evening of March 12, unidentified people hurled acid at Andrie, a deputy coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), while he was on his way home. He is well-known for opposing the rising military’s involvement in civilian affairs in Indonesia.
The attack, according to scholar and activist Karlina Supeli, was not merely a personal assault, but an “attack on the efforts of young people who continue to fight for a just and humane Indonesia that is free of violence”.
The Indonesian youth, particularly Gen-Z, is often perceived as politically apathetic, when many demonstrate strong concern for justice but have instead become targets of violence for being critical.
Halida Hatta, former deputy chair of President Prabowo Subianto’s Gerindra Party and daughter of former vice president Mohammad Hatta, said Andrie represents the ideals of independence envisioned by her father, which emphasize that true freedom lies in the liberty to think.
“Andrie’s generation has grown with the awareness that loving the country doesn’t mean remaining silent in front of injustice, but having the courage to speak out, even as the risks of terror persist,” Halida read from a joint statement in a press briefing in Jakarta on Tuesday.
She added the attack reflects a systemic pattern of violence against criticism, accountability and public correction, noting that various reports have documented threats faced by outspoken critics.
