Sahroni, the first DPR member, demands prosecution of the water spraying of the Kontras activist, uncovering the mastermind

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Ahmad Sahroni, reacted strongly to the incident of water spraying that befell activist of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS), Andrie Yunus.

The NasDem Party politician became the first DPR member who urged law enforcement officials to thoroughly investigate this case, he also asked the police to move quickly to arrest the perpetrators and uncover the mastermind behind the heinous act.

Sahroni emphasized that the police should not stop at arresting the executors in the field, but must be able to dissect the motives behind this terror transparently to the public.

"I ask the police to immediately investigate who the perpetrators and the mastermind behind this attack are, reveal the motive in a clear way," said Sahroni when contacted on Friday (13/3).

Furthermore, Sahroni condemned all forms of intimidation and violence targeting citizens. "Especially against an activist who is carrying out his critical role," he said.

He assessed that this act of terror was not just a common criminal act, but a real threat to freedom of expression in Indonesia.

"Terror like this is very bad for our democratic climate," he said.

Meanwhile, Kontras Coordinator Dimas Bagus Arya told VOI that the Deputy Coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS), Andrie Yunus, was the victim of a brutal attack in the form of a water spray by an unknown person (OTK) on Thursday night.

"The incident occurred shortly after the victim completed a public agenda that was critical of state policies," he explained.

The accident occurred at around 23.00 WIB in the area of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) Office, Menteng, Central Jakarta.

Andrie Yunus is known to have just completed the recording process of a podcast entitled "Remiliterisme dan Judicial Review di Indonesia".

"The strong suspicion points to a planned intimidation attempt, given that the attack was carried out immediately after the victim raised a sensitive issue related to security and legal governance in the country," he said.

As a result of the sudden attack, Andrie Yunus suffered serious burns covering 24 percent of his body.

The heavy water attack hit sensitive areas including his face, eyes, chest, and both hands.

"The victim was immediately rushed to the hospital to receive intensive medical treatment to minimize the fatal impact of the dangerous chemical which risks permanently damaging the body's tissues or even threatening life," he said.

Dimas in his official statement confirmed that this barbaric act was not just ordinary criminality, but a real threat to democracy.

KontraS considers this watering with hard water to be an old pattern used to silence critical voices of the public and human rights defenders.

"This action is clearly in violation of the legal protection guaranteed in Law Number 39 of 1999 concerning Human Rights and various other regulations protecting human rights defenders," he explained.

Responding to this emergency situation, KontraS urges the police to immediately investigate the perpetrators and the intellectual mastermind behind this attack.

"A transparent and rapid investigation is a gamble for law enforcement in Indonesia so that similar acts of terror do not continue to occur and create a climate of fear for critical citizens," he hoped.