Legal Literacy - Attack against the Deputy Coordinator of KontraS,Andrie Yunus, is not an event that should be treated as ordinary criminal news. On Thursday night, March 12, 2026, Andrie was allegedly attacked in the area of Jalan Salemba, Senen, Central Jakarta. The National Police stated that the initial examination showed burns on chest, face, and hands, while KontraS stated that the victim suffered burns of approximately 24 percent and is still undergoing treatment. The police are currently handling the case as alleged severe maltreatment, examining witnesses, and analyzing CCTV footage, with support from the Polda Metro Jaya and Bareskrim.

What makes this event far more serious is the context. According to KontraS, the attack occurred after Andrie participated in a podcast at the YLBHI office entitled “Remilitarism and the judicial review of a law in Indonesia.” This fact should not automatically be used as a basis for accusing the perpetrator or concluding the motive before the investigation is complete. However, the state must also not be naive: when violence befalls a human rights activist after public advocacy activities, this matter must be read as a serious alarm for civil liberties and the safety of human rights defenders in Indonesia.

Moreover, this attack does not stand in a vacuum. In 2025, after criticizing the closed discussion of the TNI Law revision,…