AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvocacy for Democracy Team (TAUD) members hold posters in solidarity with Andrie Yunus, an activist and deputy coordinator with Indonesia's rights group Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS), who suffered burns to 24 per cent of his face and arms from acid thrown by two unidentified assailants on a motorcycle on Mar 12, after a press conference in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Mar 16, 2026. (File photo: Reuters/Willy Kurniawan)26 Mar 2026 12:51PM Bookmark Bookmark WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedInAdd CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results.Read a summary of this article on FAST.Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST JAKARTA: A senior officer in the Indonesian military has stepped down following an acid attack on an activist known for his opposition to the expanded role of the military, a spokesperson said on Thursday (Mar 26).Andrie Yunus, a deputy coordinator with the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence, a rights group also known as KontraS, suffered burns to 20 per cent of his face and body from acid thrown by assailants on a motorcycle on Mar 12.The case drew local and international condemnation. The United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk said the attack was a "cowardly act of violence".Military spokesperson Aulia Dwi Nasrullah confirmed to Reuters that there had been a "handing over of position" by Yudi Abrimantyo, the military's intelligence unit chief, as a form of responsibility for the attack.Show MoreShow LessIndonesia's military had previously said it arrested four officers, all members of the intelligence unit. If found guilty, punishments range from disciplinary action to dishonourable discharge, Aulia said.Yudi, who Reuters could not immediately reach for comment, was not among the four.Why Indonesia is getting an aircraft carrier, and how Southeast Asian countries could respondPrabowo launches 6 new regional army commands in major Indonesia military shake-upConcern over the erosion of democratic values has grown in Indonesia, the world's third-largest democracy, where the military's involvement in civilian areas and state-run businesses has increased significantly under the administration of President Prabowo Subianto, a retired general.In a roundtable interview last week, Prabowo said the attack on Andrie was "terrorism," pledging a thorough investigation and no impunity.Hundreds of civil society groups in Indonesia, including Amnesty International, have alleged the attack on Andrie was attempted murder. The activist had just recorded a podcast episode on the subject of military expansion before the incident.Andrie has been in a Jakarta hospital since the attack and is currently in intensive care following surgery on Wednesday to treat injuries to his right eye, and skin grafts around his eye, chest and shoulder areas, KontraS said.Responding to the handover of position, KontraS urged Prabowo to form an independent team to investigate the case, saying it should be handled by civil courts instead of the military court, echoing a call earlier this week from the Human Rights Watch."What happened to Andrie Yunus is a serious crime that occurred in a civilian space, outside of the context of the military work as well as state defence operations," KontraS and other civil society groups said in a joint statement.Prabowo says Indonesia should appoint, not elect local leaders - what are the implications?Source: Reuters/rlNewsletterMorning BriefSubscribe to CNA’s Morning BriefAn automated curation of our top stories to start your day.Sign up for our newslettersGet our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inboxSubscribe hereGet the CNA appStay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best storiesDownload hereGet WhatsApp alertsJoin our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat appJoin hereAlso worth readingContent is loading...Expand to read the full storyGet bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST