Sawt Falasteen - Indonesia police seek four suspects for acid attack on activist

Andrie Yunus, deputy coordinator of the KontraS rights group, was riding a motorbike last week when he was approached by two men on a scooter, one of whom threw acid at him, the group said in a statement.

He suffered injuries to his face, an eye, hands and torso.

CCTV recordings showed four suspects on two scooters following Andrie before the attack, Jakarta police official Iman Imanuddin told reporters Monday.

Authorities are conducting forensic tests on a motorcycle helmet and a container that allegedly contained the acid used in the attack, he added.

KontraS representative Jane Rosalina said Andrie's most severe injury was to his right eye, and he was receiving specialised treatment in intensive care.

Andrie has been a vocal critic of moves to increase the influence of the military in the Indonesian government and had just finished recording a podcast on the topic when he was attacked.

UN rights chief Volker Turk last week said he was "deeply concerned" by the "horrific acid attack".

"Those responsible for this cowardly act of violence must be held to account," he said on X.

Human rights defenders "must be protected in their vital work and able to raise without fear issues of public concern", added Turk.

UN special rapporteur on human rights defenders Mary Lawlor also called for a thorough probe into the "unacceptable" attack.

Indonesia's minister for law and human rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra vowed that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.

In its latest report on Indonesia, Human Rights Watch said Indonesia "has undergone further democratic backsliding, crackdowns on protests, media censorship, and intimidation of activists" under President Prabowo Subianto, an ex-general in office since 2024.

A.AlHaj--SF-PST