Acid attack on Andrie Yunus signals growing threat to human rights and environmental defenders in Indonesia
Friends of the Earth International expresses our deep concern and strong condemnation over the escalating violence against human rights defenders, defenders of territories and People’s rights in Indonesia. We are deeply alarmed by this pattern of attacks and strongly condemn the acid attack against Andrie Yunus, Deputy Coordinator of The Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), which took place on the night of 12 March 2026 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Andrie Yunus is a human rights defender who has long been active in promoting and protecting human rights in Indonesia. As Deputy Coordinator of KontraS, he is involved in advocacy, research, and public campaigns addressing human rights violations. This includes issues of state accountability, civil liberties, militarisation, and policies that threaten democratic space. Beyond this broader human rights advocacy,
Andrie is also a key ally in the struggle for environmental justice. As a public interest lawyer working closely with WALHI / Friends of the Earth Indonesia, he has provided legal assistance to communities facing criminalisation and violence for defending their environmental rights and territories. These are communities of farmers, displaced urban poor, and Indigenous Peoples opposing environmentally destructive projects.
Against this backdrop, the current state of People´s rights in Indonesia is deeply concerning. There has been a rising pattern of attacks against activists, alongside increased criminalisation and surveillance of human rights work. The assault on Andrie Yunus reflects a broader and systemic threat to democracy and human rights in the country. Without decisive action, similar incidents are likely to continue, placing more human rights defenders at risk.
Violence against human rights defenders is not only an individual crime, but an attack on communities defending their territories, including lands, forests, waters and livelihoods. It is an attack on democracy, freedom of expression and the public’s right to seek justice and environmental protection. WALHI emphasises that protecting human rights defenders is a fundamental responsibility of the state and an essential condition for sustaining democracy and people’s struggles for a healthy and sustainable environment.
We strongly condemn and denounce the acid attack against Andrie Yunus, and express our full solidarity with him and all people’s rights defenders in Indonesia.
We call on the Government of Indonesia to conduct a prompt, thorough, independent and transparent investigation; ensure accountability of both the direct perpetrators and those who planned and ordered this attack; and guarantee effective protection for all human rights defenders and communities resisting environmental destruction.
We further urge the United Nations Human Rights Council and relevant UN Special Procedures, including the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders and the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment, to urgently engage with the Government of Indonesia, monitor this case, and take necessary actions to ensure accountability and protection.
Friends of the Earth International stands in solidarity with people’s rights defenders and calls on the international community to denounce this attack. We call on organisations and social movements around the world to keep struggling against injustices, stand together against repression, and fight the impunity of those who perpetrate these brutal crimes against our people.
Ending the impunity of rights violators and protecting rights defenders while guaranteeing the safety of communities defending their territories is essential to safeguarding democracy, people’s rights and environmental justice.
Credit (main image): The Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS).
Originally posted on foei.org
