Statement by the Safe Journalism Consortium (
): The Attack on Andrie Yunus Is a Threat to Democracy

The acid attack on KontraS Deputy Coordinator Andrie Yunus on Thursday night (March 12) in the Salemba area of Central Jakarta was not merely an ordinary criminal act. This incident constitutes a threat to democracy and an act of terror targeting advocacy work and critical voices in the public sphere.

According to reports, Andrie Yunus was attacked by two unidentified men on a motorcycle who doused him with a hazardous chemical as he was passing by on Jalan Salemba I at around 11:37 p.m. The attack caused severe burns to the victim’s face, eyes, chest, and hands, with burns covering approximately 24 percent of his body.

This incident occurred shortly after Andrie finished recording a podcast at the YLBHI office discussing the issues of remilitarization and the review of the TNI Law. This series of events has raised serious concerns that the attack is linked to the advocacy work the victim has been carrying out.

The Safe Journalism Consortium views this attack as a stark warning regarding the state of democracy in Indonesia.

In recent times, intimidation of critical voices has targeted not only human rights defenders but also the media. The act of sending a pig’s head to the Tempo editorial office some time ago serves as a clear example of how threats and intimidation are used to suppress journalistic work and freedom of expression.

When viewed as a whole, this series of events reveals a troubling pattern: those who have long worked on the front lines of holding those in power to account—whether journalists or human rights defenders—are increasingly vulnerable to intimidation and violence.

In recent years, violence against journalists, human rights defenders, and members of civil society has indeed continued to occur repeatedly. The pattern is almost always the same: the perpetrators remain unknown, investigations drag on, and the public is left waiting without any certainty.

When violence like this occurs repeatedly without a transparent resolution, the message is crystal clear:

Anyone who speaks out critically can become a target.

This situation is dangerous for democracy. A healthy public sphere can only thrive if those who advocate for the interests of citizens—whether journalists or human rights defenders—can carry out their roles without fear.

Therefore, the Safe Journalism Consortium urges:

First, the Indonesian National Police must thoroughly investigate the perpetrators and those behind this attack in a swift, transparent, and accountable manner.

Second, the state must ensure effective protection for human rights defenders, journalists, and members of civil society working on issues of public interest.

Third, the government needs to demonstrate a serious commitment to ensuring that violence against human rights defenders will not be tolerated.

The attack on Andrie Yunus should not be viewed as a mere criminal incident. It is an attack on the courage to speak out.

Findings The 2025 Journalist Safety Index (JSI) also reveal a concerning trend: an increase in attacks on journalists across various regions of Indonesia, accompanied by a rise in self-censorship within newsrooms. When intimidation and violence go unchecked, journalists often choose to withhold or limit their coverage for safety reasons.

The attack on Andrie Yunus has the potential to widen this impact, not only among journalists but also among civil society organizations. When human rights defenders are attacked for their advocacy work, the resulting fear can encourage self-censorship in the advocacy sphere, which ultimately weakens public oversight of those in power.

And if such acts of terror are allowed to continue, it is not just one person who is threatened, but democracy itself.

Jakarta, March 13, 2026
Safe Journalism Consortium
(Tifa Foundation, the Indonesian Media Development Association/PPMN, and the Human Rights Working Group/HRWG)

Contact:

Arie Mega [email protected] Project Officer at the Tifa Foundation for Safe Journalism

[email protected] Communications Officer, Tifa Foundation